Russia and North Korea have agreed to deepen their military partnership under a “long-term” cooperation framework, according to Russia’s defence ministry, following high-level talks in Pyongyang on Sunday.
The announcement came as senior Russian defence officials, including Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, visited the North Korean capital for discussions with top officials and participation in a memorial ceremony honouring soldiers linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Pyongyang has already provided significant military support to Moscow, including troops, missiles and ammunition, to aid its ongoing war effort. In exchange, analysts say North Korea is receiving financial assistance, food supplies, energy resources, and sensitive military technologies that could help it bypass international sanctions linked to its nuclear weapons programme.
The two countries formalised a defence pact in 2024 that obliges both sides to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked, marking a major expansion of their strategic alignment.
Belousov said both countries are now working toward a structured military cooperation plan covering 2027 to 2031, signalling a longer-term institutionalisation of their defence ties.
“We agreed with the DPRK Defence Ministry to place our military cooperation on a stable, long-term footing,” he said, referring to North Korea by its official name.
During the visit, Belousov met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Defence Minister No Kwang Chol, while Russian parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin also held talks with Kim. Volodin praised North Korean forces for their role in supporting Russian operations in Ukraine, particularly in the Kursk region.
North Korean troops have reportedly been deployed to Russia’s western Kursk area to assist in repelling Ukrainian counteroffensives. Moscow claims these forces have fought alongside Russian soldiers in what it describes as the “liberation” of the region.
However, the conflict has come at a heavy cost. South Korean intelligence estimates that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed since joining Russia’s war effort. Reports also suggest that some North Korean troops were instructed to take their own lives rather than be captured, although only two are confirmed to have been taken alive by Ukrainian forces.
Russia’s defence ministry also said Belousov presented military awards to North Korean servicemen who participated in operations in Kursk, underscoring the growing battlefield cooperation between the two countries.
The deepening alliance marks a significant geopolitical shift, further tightening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang as both face escalating isolation from Western powers over the war in Ukraine and North Korea’s nuclear programme.
