North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Reiterates Unwavering Support for Russia in High-Level Meeting

On June 5, during a high-level meeting in Pyongyang with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reiterated his country's steadfast and unconditional support for Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to North Korean state news agency KCNA.
The two leaders discussed a wide range of strategic matters, focusing on the protection of their mutual interests and the enhancement of their bilateral partnership.
Among the topics was the situation in Ukraine, referred to as the “Ukrainian crisis” in North Korea, with both parties exchanging views on the ongoing war and its implications for their security concerns.
Kim Jong Un emphasized that North Korea would continue to fully support Russia’s foreign policy, specifically regarding the Ukraine issue, and would honor its commitments under the 2022 strategic partnership agreement.
This agreement includes provisions for military assistance should either country come under attack, and Kim expressed confidence that Russia would ultimately prevail in what he described as a “just and sacred cause” aimed at protecting its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security.
“Kim Jong Un wished the Russian people eternal victory, prosperity, and happiness,” the KCNA report concluded, signaling the deepening of the North Korean-Russian alliance.
Shoigu’s visit is particularly significant as it comes just before the one-year anniversary of the Russia-North Korea defense cooperation agreement, signed on June 19, 2024. This agreement stipulates immediate military assistance between the two countries in the event of any external threats, further cementing their growing strategic and military ties.
The visit is also a precursor to increased North Korean involvement in Russia’s military-industrial complex, with reports confirming the dispatch of North Korean workers to assist in Russian military production, including in aerospace and construction sectors.
This growing partnership means a perilous shift in geopolitical alignments, with profound and destabilizing implications for global security.
Read more on The Gaze: How does North Korea Actually Help Russia in Its War Against Ukraine?