North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reaffirmed his nation's unwavering support for Russia's war in Ukraine during a high-level meeting with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday that Kim and Belousov discussed bolstering their countries' strategic partnership amid what they describe as "imperialists' moves for hegemony."
"North Korea will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against imperialist moves for hegemony," KCNA quoted Kim as saying. He also criticized the U.S. decision to supply Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), describing it as a reckless act of intervention aimed at prolonging the conflict.
Belousov's visit to North Korea follows escalating reports of increased military collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang. Western intelligence agencies have claimed that North Korea has dispatched over 10,000 troops to aid Russia's war effort, with some already engaged in combat. Additionally, allegations of North Korea supplying Moscow with artillery systems, missiles, and other weapons have further strained international relations. Both countries have denied these accusations.
The meeting reportedly yielded a "satisfactory consensus" on strengthening their mutual defense ties, according to KCNA. Neither party disclosed specific details of their agreement, but the visit underscores the growing alignment between the two nations in countering perceived Western aggression.
This year, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty committing both nations to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked. The agreement, considered one of the most significant defense deals between the two countries since the Cold War, has drawn condemnation from the United States, South Korea, and NATO.
South Korean National Security Adviser Shin Wonsik recently voiced concerns about potential technology transfers between Moscow and Pyongyang. He stated that Russia has likely provided North Korea with air defense missile systems and economic assistance and may have shared military technologies to bolster North Korea's space-based surveillance capabilities.
Kim expressed his support for recent Russian military actions in Ukraine, calling them a "timely and effective measure" to demonstrate Moscow's resolve. North Korea has consistently framed Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a legitimate defensive response to NATO's expansion and U.S. attempts to undermine Russia's global influence.
Despite mounting criticism, neither North Korea nor Russia has publicly confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops or the alleged arms shipments.
