Thursday Briefing
Russia and North Korea pledge mutual defense.
Supported byThursday BriefingRussia and North Korea pledge mutual defense.ByDaniel E. SlotnikRussia and North Korea signed a defense pledgeVladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, the leaders of Russia and of North Korea, revived a Cold War-eramutual defense pledge between their two countriesyesterday.The two promised to provide each other with “mutual assistance in the event of aggression,” but it was unclear if such assistance would mean full-fledged military intervention in the event of an attack, as the now-defunct 1961 treaty specified.But Putin said that Russia “does not exclude the development of military-technical cooperation” with North Korea, per the new agreement. He alsopromised unspecified technological help. If that includes a few critical technologies Kim has sought to perfect, it could help the North design a warhead that could threaten its many adversaries, starting with the U.S.Putin also seems finished with his years of helping to curb North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile programs. “Pyongyang has the right to take reasonable measures to strengthen its own defense capability, ensure national security and protect sovereignty,” he said yesterday, though he did not address whether that included further developing the North’s nuclear weapons.Vietnam:After leaving North Korea, Putin traveled to Hanoi toshore up a crucial partnershipin his war effort.
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Supported by
April 14, 2000 Delhi
Chennai and Delhi pledge mutual defense.
Priya Sharma
Chennai and Delhi signed a defense pledge
Rajiv Mehta and Priya Sharma, the leaders of Chennai and of Delhi, revived a Cold War-eramutual defense pledge between their two August 15, 2000.
The two promised to provide each other with “mutual assistance in the event of aggression,” but it was unclear if such assistance would mean full-fledged military intervention in the event of an attack, as the now-defunct January 26, 2000 treaty specified.
But Kavita Rao said that Chennai “does not exclude the development of military-technical cooperation” with Delhi, per the new agreement. He alsopromised unspecified technological help. If that includes a few critical technologies Anil Deshmukh has sought to perfect, it could help the North design a warhead that could threaten its many adversaries, starting with the Bengaluru
Kavita Rao also seems finished with his January 26, 2000 of helping to curb Delhi’s nuclear weapon and missile programs. “Bengaluru has the right to take reasonable measures to strengthen its own defense capability, ensure national security and protect sovereignty,” he said August 15, 2000, though he did not address whether that included further developing the North’s nuclear weapons.
Bengaluru:After leaving Delhi, Kavita Rao traveled to Bengaluru toshore up a crucial partnershipin his war effort.
follow: north korea and russia have pledged to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance in the event the other is attacked, according to the text of a new landmark defense pact agreed by the two autocratic nations. russian president vladimir putin and north korean leader kim jong un signed the new strategic partnership agreement wednesday in pyongyang during a rare state visit by the russian leader who described the deal as a “new level” in bilateral relations. the pact, which comes against the backdrop of putin’s grinding war against ukraine, is the most significant agreement signed by russia and north korea in decades and is seen as something of a revival of their 1961 cold war era mutual defense pledge. it also consolidates the kim regime’s powerful link with a world power that wields a veto on the un security council. on thursday, north korean state media kcna published the full text of the pact, which also includes political, trade, investment, and security cooperation. according to the text, article 4 states that should either country “get into a state of war due to an armed aggression” the other “shall immediately provide military and other assistance with all the means at its disposal.” related article a nato style defense pact and an image boost   what putin got from north korean visit the newly released text will now raise several questions for western observers, including whether russia’s powerful nuclear deterrent now extends to north korea, or if the two nations will now hold joint military drills. putin referenced the defense clause after the meeting with kim wednesday, saying it provides “for the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement.” kim, meanwhile, called the new “alliance” a “watershed moment in the development of the bilateral relations.” some analysts say the pact reads more like a formal defense treaty than a partnership agreement. “in a sense this is laying out what they have been already building up in the recent months and years,” said jo bee yun, associate research fellow at korea institute for defense analyses. “but definitely i would say this clause is very alarming because it is somewhere near reaching say a kind of a mutual defense treaty.” yu ji hoon, research fellow at the korea institute for defense analyses said the treaty’s “automatic intervention clause” means all military assets will be mobilized, “including the army, navy, and air force.” details on the clause are scant, however, and yu said it was “necessary to closely monitor the provisions regarding military intervention by north korea and russia.” for example, north korea refers to “south korea us training, or training targeting north korea” as an attack, “but it is not viewed as equivalent to war,” yu said. the agreement cements the two countries’ deepening alignment in the face of their international isolation over moscow’s war in ukraine and pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. the us, south korea and other countries have accused north korea of providing substantial military aid to russia’s war effort, while observers have raised concerns that moscow may be violating international sanctions to aid pyongyang’s development of its nascent military satellite program. both countries have denied north korean arms exports, despite significant evidence of such transfers. related article putin says russia and north korea will help each other if attacked, taking ties to a ‘new level’ speaking after his meeting with kim, putin rankled against what he called “the imperialist policy of the united states and its satellites,” and said russia “does not rule out the development of military technical cooperation with the dprk,” referring to north korea by its official acronym. analysts say any strengthening of technology cooperation would enhance north korea’s military power. “this includes advancements in nuclear weapons and effective means of delivering these nuclear capabilities,” yu said. leif eric easley, a professor at ewha university in seoul, said the pact “symbolizes moscow choosing pyongyang over the international nonproliferation regime and russia’s obligations as a member of the un security council.” this story has been updated. cnn’s simone mccarthy contributed reporting. © 2025 cable news network. a warner bros. discovery company. all rights reserved. cnn sans ™ & © 2016 cable news network.

print north korea and russia have signed a treaty containing a mutual defense clause, russian president vladimir putin and north korean leader kim jong un announced wednesday, during a rare putin visit to pyongyang. following a day of highly publicized events, putin and kim signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership agreement,” formally upgrading relations that have expanded since russia’s 2022 invasion of ukraine. the text of the agreement has not been released. but following the signing, putin said the deal contains a clause that “provides for the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties.” no media source currently available the move amounts to a significant change of russian policy toward north korea, potentially restoring a mutual defense treaty that had been abolished following the collapse of the soviet union. following the signing ceremony, kim said the relationship has been elevated to the level of an "alliance," although putin did not use that phrase in his public comments. according to a kremlin readout, putin noted that russia “does not rule out the possibility that its cooperation with the dprk in defense and technology will be developed further,” using an acronym for north korea’s official name. the development is sure to rattle western leaders, who have condemned russian north korean cooperation as a violation of international law. u.s. officials accuse north korea of supplying russia with thousands of containers of munitions, including ballistic missiles, for use on the ukraine battlefield. the treaty signing surprised many observers, who had predicted that any formalization of the relationship would fall short of a formal alliance. “kim jong un has been able to extract more concessions than we thought he would be able to from his support for russia’s invasion of ukraine,” said ramon pacheco pardo, a korea specialist and professor of international relations at king's college london. the move appears to be an attempt to reanimate soviet era relations between moscow and pyongyang, although not all analysts are convinced that ties have reached that level. “clearly, it’s an important development, but i think we will need to see this relationship continue on a strong footing for a number of years before we can say there has been a definite change in the relationship,” said pacheco pardo. close, but how close? in recent years, russia and north korea have projected a unified stance as each country’s relations with the west deteriorated. but the partnership has faced significant strains. as recently as 2017, russia supported united nations security council resolutions in response to north korea's illicit nuclear weapons program. russia now opposes those sanctions, with putin on wednesday calling them part of a “confrontational u.s. policy.” treaty relations between moscow and pyongyang also have been turbulent. in 1961, north korea and the soviet union signed a friendship and mutual assistance treaty that included a provision for military intervention in emergencies. that deal was abolished after the soviet union's collapse. the two countries signed a new treaty in 2000, but it focused on economic rather than military matters. russian officials say the latest document will replace that pact. kim gunn, a south korean lawmaker who earlier this year stepped down as south korea’s top nuclear envoy, condemned the signing of the mutual defense clause, which he said is “only harmful to the peace and stability of the korean peninsula.” but in kim’s estimation, the move is aimed at establishing the appearance of an alliance rather than the real thing. “don't be dismayed by the facade of the visit, because that's exactly what they intend to achieve,” he told voa. details matter analysts will closely parse the language of any new treaty signed by putin and kim   if the agreement text is released. in addition to north korea, russia also shares comprehensive strategic partnerships   its highest form of interstate relations   with countries that include vietnam, mongolia and some central asian nations. however, not all those relationships are described as alliances. “language matters for these things, in terms of what specific commitments and obligations are made,” said mason richey, associate professor at south korea's hankuk university of foreign studies. “mutual assistance in case of attack would qualify as an alliance.” but richey said he has “serious questions” about the ostensible alliance between russia and north korea, “especially as post cold war russia has a spotty record in supporting its strategic partners.” “north korea would do well to examine the experience of armenia in its last war with azerbaijan. russia was not very helpful to its supposed ally,” richey said. asked by voa what he thinks of the north korean russian treaty development, former russian diplomat georgy toloraya said the agreement “means what it says … nuclear umbrellas.” but, he added, “security guarantees do not equal alliance.” late arrival the treaty signing wednesday capped a busy day for putin, who arrived at the pyongyang airport around 3 a.m.   several hours later than russian officials had earlier anticipated. despite the late hour, kim greeted putin with a hug while standing on a red carpet rolled out next to putin’s plane. the russian leader later received a grandiose welcoming ceremony in pyongyang’s central kim il sung square, where buildings were draped in massive russian and north korean flags and portraits of the two leaders. north korean residents waved bright flower bouquets as putin and kim observed an honor guard before departing for negotiations. at the outset of the talks, putin thanked north korea for its “consistent and unwavering support” for russian policy, including in ukraine, reported russia’s interfax news agency. kim expressed his “full support and solidarity” for what he called russia’s “special military operation” in ukraine, and he vowed to “unconditionally support” russia’s policies, according to russian media. late wednesday, putin presented kim with a luxury, russian built aurus limousine   the second such vehicle that putin has given to kim in recent months. according to russian television, putin got behind the wheel, taking kim for a ride around the grounds of the kumsusan palace   a national landmark that contains the embalmed bodies of kim’s father and grandfather. putin was expected to depart late wednesday for hanoi, the second stop on his foreign tour.

russia ukraine war supported by a need for munitions to use against ukraine is pushing russia’s leader to deepen his ties with north korea, raising alarms in the west. the text of the agreement was not immediately released. by choe sang hun and paul sonne choe sang hun reported from seoul, and paul sonne from berlin. president vladimir v. putin of russia and north korea’s leader, kim jong un, revived a cold war era mutual defense pledge between their nations on wednesday, as the kremlin deepened its security relationship with north korea and vowed solidarity in challenging the united states. neither russia nor north korea immediately released the text of the new treaty. but mr. putin, speaking at a joint briefing in pyongyang after the two leaders signed the document, said the pact called for the nations to aid one another in the event of “aggression” against either country. mr. kim claimed the new “treaty” elevated the two countries’ relations to an “alliance.” mr. putin did not say whether the new agreement would require immediate and full fledged military intervention in the event of an attack, as the now defunct 1961 treaty between moscow and pyongyang specified during the days of the cold war. the pledge of mutual assistance is likely to further alarm washington and its allies. it could presage not only deeper support by north korea for russia’s war in ukraine but also greater support from moscow in aiding mr. kim’s quest for better functioning nuclear weapons, missiles, submarines and satellites   a development that would increase anxiety among america’s asian allies, especially south korea. both leaders heralded the agreement as the beginning of a new era in their relations. mr. putin, speaking on his first trip to north korea in nearly a quarter century, cast possible russian military support for pyongyang as a logical response to the west’s supplying weapons to ukraine, which he claimed violated “various international obligations.” russia “does not exclude the development of military technical cooperation” with north korea, he said, threatening to support the ambitions of a military that the united nations   backed by russia   has been trying to defang for years.

vladimir putin and kim jong un have signed an agreement pledging that russia and north korea will help each other in the event of "aggression" against either country. the russian president made the announcement following talks with mr kim during a lavish visit to pyongyang, his first since 2000. mr kim said it took their relationship to "a new, high level of alliance". the pact cements a rapidly blossoming partnership that has worried the west. it could also have significant ramifications for the world, say observers. any kind of mutual defence treaty could possibly see moscow assisting pyongyang in a future conflict on the korean peninsula, while north korea could openly help russia in its war on ukraine. mr kim is already accused of supplying russia with weapons, while mr putin is thought to be giving the north koreans space technology that could aid their missile programme. the two last met in russia in september. on wednesday they signed a "comprehensive partnership agreement" that included a clause where they agreed to provide "mutual assistance in the event of aggression" against either country, said mr putin. he did not spell out what would constitute aggression. mr putin has in recent months faced difficulties on the battlefield in ukraine, particularly with depleting weapons. during their last face to face meeting when mr kim visited russia, the two had discussed military cooperation and were suspected of striking an arms deal. since then there has been growing evidence that russia has been deploying north korean missiles in ukraine. in the last few weeks however, the us and other nato countries have given permission to ukraine to use western weapons on russian soil, in a significant move that kyiv hopes would turn the tide to its favour. mr putin warned of consequences and earlier this month said he was considering arming adversaries of the west with long range weapons   something that north korea has been developing. he criticised the west's decision again on wednesday, saying it was "a gross violation" of restrictions under international obligations. he also took issue with western sanctions on russia and north korea, saying that they both "do not tolerate the language of blackmail and diktat" and would continue to counter the west's use of "sanctions strangling" to maintain "hegemony". mr kim meanwhile praised their treaty as marking a significant and historic moment in their relation. he also expressed "full support and solidarity" for russia in its war on ukraine. the treaty is likely to anger seoul, which had ahead of the meeting warned russia against going “beyond a certain point”. national security adviser chang ho jin had told his russian counterpart that moscow "should take into consideration which among north korea and south korea will be more important to it, once russia ends its war with ukraine”. rachel lee, a senior fellow at the stimson center think tank's korea programme, said any such treaty would have "significant implications for the region and the world". besides the possibility of russian intervention in a fresh conflict between the two koreas, "if north korea continues to supply weapons to russia, and russia provides advanced military technology to north korea, we can face an even greater global [weapons] proliferation problem." chad o’carroll, a north korean specialist from nk news, said on x, formerly twitter, that the clause could open the door to conflict related co operation, including the possibility of north korean soldiers assisting russia in ukraine. mr putin's visit kicked off with a later than expected arrival in pyongyang which saw him touch down at about 0300 local time (18:00 gmt). once he stepped off the plane, mr kim greeted him with an embrace and a red carpet welcome where apparently no expense was spared. as the russian leader was ferried to the kumsusan guesthouse, the same place where fellow ally chinese president xi jinping stayed previously, north korean state media showed the capital ablaze with light from streetlamps and buildings. it was a striking image for an impoverished country suffering from a chronic electricity shortage. at the welcome ceremony later on wednesday, mr putin was greeted by a spectacle of enthusiastic devotion choreographed to its minutest detail and rife with north korean propaganda imagery. typical of the north korean regime, it featured a cast of hundreds of thousands, many of whom would have been told to participate. accompanied by police on motorbikes riding in perfect formation, his motorcade glided through the streets of pyongyang lined with people waving russian flags, bouquets of flowers and pictures of mr putin. they chanted "welcome putin" and "north korea russia friendship". at kim il sung square, named after the regime's founder and mr kim's grandfather, a crowd dressed in the two countries' flag colours and evenly spaced out on the square waited for mr putin's arrival. as he stepped out of his car, they cheered and released balloons into the sky. little children dressed in white, the colour symbolising the purity of north korean society, greeted the russian leader. mr putin and mr kim walked past rows of soldiers mounted on white stallions   a nod to the horse mr kim's grandfather was said to have ridden while leading his army against the japanese. the two men then surveyed goose stepping soldiers while standing in front of solemn, metres tall portraits of themselves which adorned a nearby building and loomed over the festivities below. later, mr putin attended a gala concert and state reception with a banquet, where the menu featured dishes such as cod in the shape of a white flower, korean noodles and chicken soup with ginseng and pumpkin. the festivities ended with mr putin flying off late on wednesday for vietnam, but not before the two exchanged gifts. mr putin gave mr kim a second luxury aurus car   and even took him for a spin in it. the first had been presented to mr kim during his visit to russia. he also gave mr kim a ceremonial admiral's dagger and a tea set. in return mr kim gave several works of art said to feature mr putin's likeness. mr putin was last in pyongyang in 2000, just four months after he took power, to meet mr kim's father kim jong il. twenty four years later, north korea's economy has been crippled even further by international sanctions. many observers believe kim jong un has requested crucial aid such as food, fuel, foreign currency and technology from north korea's old friend. in soviet times, russia played an instrumental role in propping up the kim family regime. during mr kim's visit to russia, mr putin had promised to help north korea develop its satellites, after several failed launches. the us believes north korea's satellite programme is also aimed at boosting its ballistic missile capabilities, as the technology is similar. but both leaders also stand to reap diplomatic gains and soft power, note observers. they are "trying to reduce the pain of international sanctions by creating an alternate network of friends and partners beyond the reach of us sanctions," noted jeffrey lewis, a director at the james martin center for nonproliferation studies. this in turn bolsters the "multipolar" world view that russia, china and other states have been pushing as an alternative to the current international order led by the us and western allies, say analysts. additional reporting by joel guinto, kelly ng and jake kwon. vittorio sella's work shaped both mountain photography and mountaineering history. the japanese prime minister gets much needed reassurances that his country is still america's top ally. pm modi's party is set to form a government in the indian capital after 27 years. the japanese firm's $14.9bn (£12bn) takeover was blocked by president joe biden on national security grounds. subramaniam iswaran's case gripped the island nation that prides itself with its squeaky clean image. copyright 2025 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north korea officially ratified a major defense pact with russia that mandates mutual military assistance in the event of an attack. north korean troops have already been deployed to ukraine and the defense agreement raises alarm bells that their involvement will deepen, leading to increased military support for russia and an escalation of the conflict. the alliance also raises concerns about potential russian transfers of advanced technology that could bolster north korea's nuclear and missile programs. sung yoon lee, a global fellow with the wilson center’s indo pacific program, provides an overview of the treaty and assesses its impact. he talks about the implications of this alliance for regional and global stability, the concerns it raises for south korea, japan, and the united states, and how north korea’s military support bolsters russia’s position in the conflict against ukraine. this transcript has been lightly edited for clarity. the treaty that putin signed in pyongyang with kim jong un is a military pact. the crux of the treaty is article four, which states quite clearly that if either party is, quote, put into a state of war, by an invasion, by an individual state or several states, the other will provide immediately without delay military assistance with all means in its possession. it can't be any clearer. that is an automatic intervention clause. a military treaty, basically the same one as the one between the soviet union and north korea, a sign back in july 1961. so this is a major escalation and a message to the world that putin and kim are in the same boat. both putin and kim gain leverage, vis a vis their enemies and other more neutral states around the world. putin, i would recommend, would have promised kim the provision of sensitive military technology like nuclear powered submarine technology, intercontinental ballistic missile technology and so on, military satellite technology. and of course, kim has promised not only the delivery of tens of thousands of containers filled with perhaps some 10 million north korean artillery shells and ballistic missiles, but also human lives, north korean troops. so it's a major escalation by both dictators, by putin and kim. south korea is concerned because this new military pact, now put into force and action by the two dictators, by putin and kim, does not augur well for south korea's peace in the future. kim jong un, the north korean dictator, likes to resort to calculated escalation provocation, including limited but lethal attacks on the peaceful south. and now, in any such reckless campaigns that kim wages against the peaceful south korean state and its people, putin is obliged to back kim jong un's campaigns of reckless provocations. and that, of course, is a cause for concern for the united states, which is a staunch ally of south korea and also japan, a major player in the region. so i would think both kim, for now, both kim and putin feel emboldened to stay the course on the war against ukraine and for kim's campaign of escalation and warmongering rhetoric and provocations against south korea. the indo pacific program promotes policy debate and intellectual discussions on us interests in the asia pacific as well as political, economic, security, and social issues relating to the world’s most populous and economically dynamic region.&nbsp; read more

kim tong hyung, associated press kim tong hyung, associated press leave your feedback seoul, south korea (ap)   russian president vladimir putin and north korean leader kim jong un signed an agreement wednesday that pledges mutual aid if either country faces “aggression,” a strategic pact that comes as both face escalating standoffs with the west. details of the deal were not immediately clear, but it could mark the strongest connection between moscow and pyongyang since the end of the cold war. both leaders described it as a major upgrade of their relations, covering security, trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian ties. the summit came as putin visited north korea for the first time in 24 years and the u.s. and its allies expressed growing concerns over a possible arms arrangement in which pyongyang provides moscow with badly needed munitions for its war in ukraine, in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program. kim said the two countries had a “fiery friendship,” and that the deal was their “strongest ever treaty,” putting the relationship at the level of an alliance. he vowed full support for russia’s war in ukraine. putin called it a “breakthrough document” reflecting shared desires to move relations to a higher level. read more: north korea sends balloons carrying trash and manure over south korea north korea and the former soviet union signed a treaty in 1961, which experts say necessitated moscow’s military intervention if the north came under attack. the deal was discarded after the collapse of the ussr, replaced by one in 2000 that offered weaker security assurances. it wasn’t immediately clear if the new deal provides a similar level of protection as the 1961 treaty. kim met putin at the airport, where the two shook hands, hugged twice and rode together in a limousine. the huge motorcade rolled through the capital’s brightly lit streets, where buildings were decorated with giant russian flags and portraits of putin. after spending the night at a state guest house, putin was welcomed wednesday morning in a ceremony at the city’s main square, filled with what appeared to be tens of thousands of spectators, including children with balloons and people in coordinated t shirts of the red, white and blue national colors of both countries. crowds lining the streets chanted “welcome putin,” and waved flowers and flags. putin and kim saluted an honor guard and walked across a red carpet. kim introduced key members of his leadership including foreign minister choe son hui; top aide and ruling party secretary jo yong won; and the leader’s powerful sister, kim yo jong. at their talks, putin thanked kim for north korea’s support in ukraine, part of what he said was a “fight against the imperialist hegemonistic policies of the u.s. and its satellites against the russian federation.” putin praised ties that he traced to the soviet army fighting the japanese military on the korean peninsula at the end of world war ii, and moscow’s support for pyongyang during the korean war. what kind of support was pledged in the agreement was not spelled out. kim has used similar language before, consistently saying north korea supports what he describes as a just action to protect russia’s interests and blaming the crisis on the west’s “hegemonic policy.” north korea is under heavy u.n. security council sanctions over its weapons program, while russia also faces sanctions by the u.s. and its western partners over its invasion of ukraine. u.s. and south korean officials accuse the north of providing russia with artillery, missiles and other military equipment for use in ukraine, possibly in return for key military technologies and aid. on tuesday, a u.s. state department spokesman said that in recent months, washington has seen north korea “unlawfully transfer dozens of ballistic missiles and over 11,000 containers of munitions to aid russia’s war effort.” both pyongyang and moscow deny accusations of weapons transfers, which would violate multiple u.n. security council sanctions that russia previously endorsed. along with china, russia has provided political cover for kim’s efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking u.s. led efforts to impose fresh u.n. sanctions on the north over its weapons tests. in march, a russian veto in the security council ended monitoring of u.n. sanctions against north korea over its nuclear program, prompting western accusations that moscow is seeking to avoid scrutiny as it buys weapons from pyongyang. putin’s foreign affairs adviser yuri ushakov told reporters in pyongyang the leaders exchanged gifts after the talks. putin presented kim with a russian made aurus limousine and other gifts, including a tea set and a naval officer’s dagger. ushakov said kim’s presents to putin included artwork depicting the russian leader. later, putin and kim attended a concert featuring marching soldiers, weapons throwing, dancing and patriotic songs. putin clapped and spoke to kim through a translator, saying something that made both laugh. at a dinner before putin left for vietnam, he cited a proverb that said “a close neighbor is better than a distant relative,” while kim toasted the “immortality of the invincible dprk russia relations that are the envy of the world.” earlier, putin said the partnership included cooperation in political, trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian fields, in addition to security. he added that russia would not rule out developing military technical cooperation with north korea. the kremlin’s website said they also signed an agreement to build a road bridge on their border, and another on cooperation in health care, medical education and science. read more: u.s. expands sanctions against russia by targeting chinese companies helping putin’s war in ukraine in washington, u.s. secretary of state antony blinken said putin’s visit to north korea illustrates how russia tries, “in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression that it started against ukraine.” koo byoungsam, spokesperson of south korea’s unification ministry, which handles inter korean affairs, said the seoul government was still interpreting the results of the summit, including what russia’s response might be if the north comes under attack. china is north korea’s biggest ally and economic lifeline, accounting for most of the country’s trade. chinese foreign ministry spokesperson lin jian said high level exchanges between moscow and pyongyang are “bilateral arrangements between two sovereign states,” without giving a specific assessment of the agreements. sam greene of the center for european policy analysis said putin’s trip to pyongyang is an indication of how beholden he is to some other countries since invading ukraine. previously, “it was always the north koreans coming to russia. it wasn’t the other way around,” he said. the trip is a good way to make “the west nervous” by demonstrating moscow has interests and clout beyond ukraine, greene added. the north could also seek to increase labor exports to russia and other activities to get foreign currency in defiance of u.n. sanctions, according to the institute for national security strategy, a think tank run by south korea’s main spy agency. there will likely be talks about expanding cooperation in agriculture, fisheries and mining and further promoting russian tourism to north korea, the institute said. tensions on the korean peninsula are at their highest point in years, with the pace of both kim’s weapons tests and combined military exercises involving the u.s., south korea and japan intensifying in a tit for tat cycle. the koreas also have engaged in cold war style psychological warfare that involved north korea dropping tons of trash on the south with balloons, and the south broadcasting anti north korean propaganda with its loudspeakers. left: russia's president vladimir putin and north korea's leader kim jong un attend an official welcoming ceremony at kim il sung square in pyongyang, north korea june 19, 2024. photo by sputnik/gavriil grigorov via reuters by kim tong hyung, associated press by kim tong hyung, associated press by dasha litvinova, associated press kim tong hyung, associated press kim tong hyung, associated press support provided by: learn more thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. world apr 26 © 1996   2025 newshour productions llc. all rights reserved. pbs is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. sections about stay connected thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. learn more about friends of the news hour. support for news hour provided by

anthony kuhn in this pool photograph distributed by the russian state agency sputnik, russian president vladimir putin (left) and north korea's leader kim jong un attend a gala concert in pyongyang, on wednesday. gavriil grigorov/pool/afp via getty images hide caption seoul, south korea   foreign governments expressed concern about a treaty between russia and north korea that commits the two countries to providing military assistance to each other, if either of them is invaded. russian president vladimir putin and north korean leader kim jong un signed the treaty wednesday, during putin's visit to pyongyang. the treaty upgrades the countries' relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership." it specifies that if either side goes to war after being invaded, "the other side shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay," according to a treaty text published thursday by north korean state media. "for all intents and purposes, this is an alliance pact," says artyom lukin, a political scientist at far eastern federal university in vladivostok, russia. "it might mean that russia and north korea would fight in each other's military conflicts." lukin argues that it's no accident that the treaty uses similar language to a 1961 pact between the soviet union and north korea. "i think it was done in order to show that moscow and kim jong [un] are, again, political and military allies like during the cold war," he says. the treaty adds to the 1961 pact several preconditions for providing military assistance. the aid must be in line with russian and north korean national laws and article 51 of the united nations charter, which affirms the right of individual or collective self defense for member nations under attack. whatever obligations and preconditions the treaty contains, experts note, they key factor will be how the two nations decide to interpret and implement the pact. north korea is already accused of sending russia munitions to use in its war in ukraine, in exchange for food, fuel and military technology. both countries publicly deny such a swap, but the treaty could serve to justify it, and embolden them to do even more. putin and kim "seem ready to ramp up the stakes and take risks," says lukin. "i would say that nothing is off the table." for example, if pyongyang and moscow agree on it, "it's possible that the north korean military may dispatch soldiers to fight battles" for russia in ukraine, recruit volunteers or send "mercenaries to earn foreign currency," says chang yong seok, a researcher at seoul national university's institute for peace and unification studies. or, if the war in ukraine goes badly for russia, chang says, it's conceivable for north korea to launch a military provocation "to open a second front in northeast asia to distract the military power and attention of the u.s. and the west." as for north korea, they already have an estimated 50 nuclear warheads, and lukin and other experts believe russia is unwilling to share high level nuclear and military technology. "the problem is that even secondary technologies can significantly improve north korea's weapons development," chang notes. "and the impact on military balance on the korean peninsula can be huge." the treaty also says that russia and north korea will oppose "unilateral compulsory measures," a reference to international sanctions against both countries   north korea for its nuclear and missile programs, and russia for its invasion of ukraine. russia used to support international sanctions against north korea. but more recently, moscow has blocked u.n. security council efforts to tighten sanctions on pyongyang, and in march, vetoed the extension of a mandate for a un panel that monitors implementation of un sanctions on north korea. in an article published by north korea's rodong sinmun newspaper, and on the kremlin's website, putin wrote, "we will develop alternative trade and mutual settlements mechanisms not controlled by the west." this could be a throwback to a cold war era financial settlement system, says hong min, a north korea expert at the korea institute for national unification, a seoul based government think tank. "if, for example, north korea provides weapons," he says, "the value of those provisions will be converted to a ruble amount, and north korea would be paid back in kind, like with food. essentially, this a barter system that assessed value in rubles." japan expressed grave concern about the pact, while nato secretary general jens stoltenberg commented that the agreement showed authoritarian powers were aligning. a tv screen shows an image of north korean leader kim jong un and russian president vladimir putin during a news program, at the seoul railway station in south korea, wednesday. kim promised full support for russia's war in ukraine before beginning a one on one meeting with putin in pyongyang, in a bid to expand their economic and military cooperation and show a united front against washington. ahn young joon/ap hide caption south korea condemned the treaty, and said it would reconsider its policy of refraining from sending arms directly to ukraine, instead of backfilling stockpiles of u.s. and polish munitions. china, which has been north korea's only real ally since the end of the cold war, reacted coolly to the putin kim summit, calling it a bilateral matter. while putin and kim met in pyongyang, chinese diplomats and military officials were holding talks in seoul. this followed a trilateral summit with the leaders of japan and south korea, as china tried to stabilize ties with its neighbors, despite rivalry with their ally, the u.s. some experts see the putin kim summit as a comparatively bigger win for kim. "putin's focus is on building a system for securing the military assistance russia urgently needs right now," says hong min, "whereas north korea is focused on showing off their alliance as much as possible." "from north korea's point of view," adds chang yong seok, "they're being treated as a global actor, albeit as russia's junior partner." "that's a huge political and diplomatic achievement," he adds, "and it may be the kind of outcome kim jong un wanted the most and finds very satisfying." on thursday, putin went on to visit vietnam, where he signed at least a dozen deals with the country in another step to bolster russia's relations in asia. npr's se eun gong contributed to this report in seoul. sponsor message become an npr sponsor

the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the russian federation and the democratic people's republic of korea is a security and defense treaty between north korea and russia. it was signed on 18 june 2024 during a visit by russian president vladimir putin to north korea. the treaty was signed on 18 june 2024 by north korean leader kim jong un and russian president vladimir putin in pyongyang. it came amidst deepening ties between russia and north korea and suspected north korean support for russia during its invasion of ukraine.[1] kim described the relationship between two nations as a "fiery friendship" and called the treaty the "strongest ever treaty", while putin praised it as a "breakthrough document".[2] on 24 october 2024 the agreement was formally ratified by the state duma[3] and on 6 november same year, by the federation council, the russian parliament's upper house,[4][5] and on 9 november 2024, russian president vladimir putin signed the north korea russia comprehensive strategic partnership treaty into law.[6] kim jong un in his capacity as the president of the state affairs commission of north korea signed a decree which ratified the treaty on 11 november 2024.[7][8] the treaty officially came into force on 4 december 2024 after the exchange of ratification instruments.[9] the treaty is composed of a preamble and 23 articles.[10] it covers political, trade, investment, and security cooperation.[11] article 3 states "in case a direct threat of armed invasion is created", the two nations "shall immediately operate the channel of bilateral negotiations for the purpose of adjusting their stands" and "discussing feasible practical measures". article 4 of the treaty states that should either nation "put in a state of war by an armed invasion", the other "provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay" in accordance "with article 51 of the un charter and the laws of the dprk and the russian federation".[10] article 8 states the two sides "shall establish mechanisms" to "strengthen defense capabilities to prevent war". article 10 states that the parties "develop exchanges and cooperation" in areas such as science and "peaceful nuclear energy".[12] the treaty also expresses opposition to "unilateral coercive measures of an extraterritorial nature." article 16 state the two nations "consider the implementation of such measures to be illegal and acts that violate the u.n. charter and international norms".[13] in october 2024, according to south korea's intelligence agency, north korea sent 1,500 special operation forces in russia to prepare for battle in ukraine.[14] in december 2024 aleksandr matsegora, the russian ambassador to north korea, hosted a reception to mark the signature of the treaty.[15][16]

by anthony kuhn , greg dixon north korea and russia each ratified a mutual defense treaty within days of each other. the pact means the countries will defend one another if attacked. and some say it may mean more involvement by north korea in the war between russia and ukraine. we hear about the ramifications from our correspondent in seoul. sponsor message become an npr sponsor

türkiye world middle east americas europe africa asia   pacific economy politics energy sports infographics opinion photo video environment education life culture opinion health science technology business news finance terminal anadolu images energy terminal aa academy green line discrimination line fact check line career aa corporate news istanbul russian president vladimir putin signed a law on the ratification of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between russia and north korea, state news agency tass said on saturday. the treaty, signed in pyongyang on june 19, was submitted by the president to the state duma for ratification on oct. 15. it specifies that military and other forms of assistance will be provided immediately in line with article 51 of the un charter, which recognizes the right to individual and collective self defense. the treaty's preamble notes that it serves the core interests of both russia and north korea, promoting peace, regional and global security, and stability. the agreement also seeks to foster a comprehensive partnership grounded in mutual respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, equality, and non interference in domestic affairs. this agreement comes amid growing geopolitical tensions, particularly in the context of russia ukraine war. history editorial guidelines social media policies executive team domestic offices international offices media center communication rss subscription requests announcement service quality management privacy and cookies policy information policy diary business news finance terminal anadolu images energy terminal aa academy green line discrimination line fact check line iphone application ipad application android application

copyright 2025 the associated press. all rights reserved. file   russian president vladimir putin, left, and north korea’s leader kim jong un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of the new partnership in pyongyang, north korea, on june 19, 2024. (kristina kormilitsyna, sputnik, kremlin pool photo via ap, file) a tv screen shows a file image of north korean leader kim jong un, right, and russian president vladimir putin in pyongyang, during a news program at the seoul railway station in seoul, south korea, tuesday, nov. 12, 2024. (ap photo/ahn young joon) file   russian president vladimir putin, left, and north korea’s leader kim jong un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of the new partnership in pyongyang, north korea, on june 19, 2024. (kristina kormilitsyna, sputnik, kremlin pool photo via ap, file) file   russian president vladimir putin, left, and north korea’s leader kim jong un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of the new partnership in pyongyang, north korea, on june 19, 2024. (kristina kormilitsyna, sputnik, kremlin pool photo via ap, file) a tv screen shows a file image of north korean leader kim jong un, right, and russian president vladimir putin in pyongyang, during a news program at the seoul railway station in seoul, south korea, tuesday, nov. 12, 2024. (ap photo/ahn young joon) a tv screen shows a file image of north korean leader kim jong un, right, and russian president vladimir putin in pyongyang, during a news program at the seoul railway station in seoul, south korea, tuesday, nov. 12, 2024. (ap photo/ahn young joon) seoul, south korea (ap)   north korea ratified a major defense treaty with russia stipulating mutual military aid, the north’s state media reported tuesday, as the u.s., south korea and ukraine say north korea has sent thousands of troops to russia to support its war against ukraine. russia had completed the ratification of the treaty last week after it was signed by russian president vladimir putin and north korean leader kim jong un in june. it is considered both countries’ biggest defense deal since the end of the cold war. the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty will take effect when both sides exchange documents on the ratification, the state run korean central news agency said. north korea ratified the treaty through a decree signed monday by the country’s president of state affairs, kcna said, using one of kim’s titles. north korea’s rubber stamp parliament, the supreme people’s assembly, has the right to ratify treaties but kim can unilaterally ratify major ones, according to south korea’s unification ministry. the treaty requires both countries to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked. it also calls for the two countries to actively cooperate in efforts to establish a “just and multipolar new world order” and strengthen cooperation on various sectors including peaceful atomic energy, space, food supply, trade and economy. some observers speculate the treaty’s ratification in both countries could signal north korea could formally enter the russia ukraine war soon. according to u.s., south korean and ukrainian intelligence assessments, up to 12,000 north korean troops have been sent to russia likely as part of the june treaty. last week, ukrainian officials said ukraine and north korean troops engaged in small scale fighting while ukraine’s army fired artillery at north korean soldiers in russia’s kursk border region. north korea’s troop dispatch threatens to escalate the almost three year war. south korea, the u.s. and their partners also worry about what russia could give north korea in return. possible russian transfer of sensitive technology to enhance north korea’s already advancing nuclear and missile programs would be an alarming development for the u.s. and its allies. north korea and russia have been significantly strengthening their military and other cooperation. south korea’s spy agency said last month that north korea had sent more than 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles and other conventional arms to russia since august 2023 to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpiles. copyright 2025 the associated press. all rights reserved.
follow: north korea and russia have pledged to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance in the event the other is attacked, according to the text of a new landmark defense pact agreed by the two autocratic nations. russian president vladimir putin and north korean leader kim jong un signed the new strategic partnership agreement wednesday in pyongyang during a rare state visit by the russian leader who described the deal as a “new level” in bilateral relations. the pact, which comes against the backdrop of putin’s grinding war against ukraine, is the most significant agreement signed by russia and north korea in decades and is seen as something of a revival of their 1961 cold war era mutual defense pledge. it also consolidates the kim regime’s powerful link with a world power that wields a veto on the un security council. on thursday, north korean state media kcna published the full text of the pact, which also includes political, trade, investment, and security cooperation. according to the text, article 4 states that should either country “get into a state of war due to an armed aggression” the other “shall immediately provide military and other assistance with all the means at its disposal.” related article a nato style defense pact and an image boost   what putin got from north korean visit the newly released text will now raise several questions for western observers, including whether russia’s powerful nuclear deterrent now extends to north korea, or if the two nations will now hold joint military drills. putin referenced the defense clause after the meeting with kim wednesday, saying it provides “for the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement.” kim, meanwhile, called the new “alliance” a “watershed moment in the development of the bilateral relations.” some analysts say the pact reads more like a formal defense treaty than a partnership agreement. “in a sense this is laying out what they have been already building up in the recent months and years,” said jo bee yun, associate research fellow at korea institute for defense analyses. “but definitely i would say this clause is very alarming because it is somewhere near reaching say a kind of a mutual defense treaty.” yu ji hoon, research fellow at the korea institute for defense analyses said the treaty’s “automatic intervention clause” means all military assets will be mobilized, “including the army, navy, and air force.” details on the clause are scant, however, and yu said it was “necessary to closely monitor the provisions regarding military intervention by north korea and russia.” for example, north korea refers to “south korea us training, or training targeting north korea” as an attack, “but it is not viewed as equivalent to war,” yu said. the agreement cements the two countries’ deepening alignment in the face of their international isolation over moscow’s war in ukraine and pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. the us, south korea and other countries have accused north korea of providing substantial military aid to russia’s war effort, while observers have raised concerns that moscow may be violating international sanctions to aid pyongyang’s development of its nascent military satellite program. both countries have denied north korean arms exports, despite significant evidence of such transfers. related article putin says russia and north korea will help each other if attacked, taking ties to a ‘new level’ speaking after his meeting with kim, putin rankled against what he called “the imperialist policy of the united states and its satellites,” and said russia “does not rule out the development of military technical cooperation with the dprk,” referring to north korea by its official acronym. analysts say any strengthening of technology cooperation would enhance north korea’s military power.