North Korea-Russia Relations Strengthen Amidst Global Concerns

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has extended birthday congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to him as his “closest comrade,” as reported by the North Korea‘s state media outlet, KCNA. The message marks Putin’s 72nd birthday and emphasizes the intention to elevate relations between North Korea and Russia to a new level.

The relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow has become notably closer since the onset of the Ukraine war, causing concern among Western nations. Kim’s message also included aspirations for North Korea to accelerate its development as a military superpower with nuclear capabilities.

Yonhap News, citing KCNA, reported Kim’s comments on the “invincible and eternal” nature of the bilateral relationship, praising the progress since Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June. Kim highlighted the “meetings and comradely ties” between the two leaders as reinforcing the foundation of DPRK-Russia friendship, using the official name for North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Historical ties between the two nations trace back to the support provided by the Soviet Union to North Korea under Stalin and Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of the current leader. Despite North Korea’s longstanding reliance on China, it has been wary of becoming overly dependent on its large neighbor.

In an earlier agreement this year, Putin and Kim vowed mutual assistance in the event of “aggression” against either country, though specifics of such aggression were unclear. Allegations have arisen accusing North Korea of supplying munitions to aid Russia’s efforts in Ukraine in exchange for economic and technological support.

Jeffrey Lewis, director at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, suggested that the alliance between Kim and Putin aims to circumvent the impact of international sanctions by fostering a network of partnerships beyond U.S. influence. North Korea anticipates benefiting significantly from access to Russian military technology.

During Kim’s visit to Russia in September 2023, Putin assured assistance in developing North Korea’s satellite capabilities following unsuccessful launches by Pyongyang. Additionally, South Korean reports based on intelligence claims have detected potential early-stage developments of a nuclear-powered submarine in North Korea.

The message from Kim adds to a series of birthday greetings received by Putin from a limited circle of international supporters, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Putin’s birthday, acknowledged in Moscow, aligns with his continued leadership spanning nearly 25 years.

The evolving collaboration between North Korea and Russia is seen as a reaction to Western backing of Ukraine, potentially leading to increased military and technical cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, as noted by Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin and echoed in statements by Kadyrov.