North Korea ratifies defence treaty with Russia

Pact seals deepening security cooperation between the nations as North Korea becomes one of most vocal backers of Russia’s war on Ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. Photo: Sputnik / Vladimir Smirnov / Pool via Reuters

Published: 6:47am, 12 Nov 2024Updated: 12:40pm, 12 Nov 2024

North Korea has ratified a landmark defence pact with Russia, state media reported on Tuesday, sealing a deepening security cooperation between the two nations amid Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

The deal “was ratified as a decree of the President of the State Affairs”, the Korea Central News Agency said, referring to Kim Jong-un by his formal title.

The notice comes after Russian lawmakers voted unanimously last week to ratify the deal, which President Vladimir Putin later signed.

North Korea has become one of the most vocal and important backers of Russia’s full-scale offensive on Ukraine.

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Pyongyang has long been accused by Western nations of supplying Moscow with artillery shells and missiles for use in Ukraine, but that support has escalated in recent weeks with the reported arrival of thousands of North Korean troops prepared to engage in combat.

Putin and Kim signed the strategic partnership treaty in June, during the Kremlin chief’s visit to Pyongyang. It obliges both states to provide military help “without delay” in the case of an attack on the other and to cooperate internationally to oppose Western sanctions.