In a show of deepening ties, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a birthday message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him his “closest comrade” and promising to raise relations between Pyongyang and Moscow to a new level.
Kim’s congratulatory message, which coincided with Putin’s 72nd birthday, underscores the growing partnership between the two nations amid the ongoing war in Ukraine—a relationship that has drawn concerns from the West.
According to North Korean state media KCNA, Kim hailed the Russia-North Korea alliance as “invincible and eternal,” attributing its strengthening to Putin’s visit to Pyongyang earlier this year. “Meetings and comradely ties between us… will make a positive contribution to further consolidating the eternal foundation of the DPRK-Russia friendship,” Kim stated, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The historical relationship between North Korea and Russia dates back to the Soviet era, when the USSR under Joseph Stalin provided significant military and technological support to Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, during the formative years of North Korea. While Pyongyang has traditionally relied on China for economic and military support, it has never fully trusted its southern neighbor, making Moscow an important alternative ally.
This rekindled bond has raised alarms in Western capitals, particularly as reports have emerged of North Korean arms potentially being used in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Kim is believed to be supplying weapons to Moscow in exchange for economic and technological support. According to increasing evidence, Russia has deployed North Korean missiles in Ukraine, though official confirmation from both countries remains absent.
For Putin, North Korea’s support offers tactical advantages as Russia seeks to maintain its war effort against Ukraine, despite crippling international sanctions. Analysts have suggested that Putin’s outreach to Kim is part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of these sanctions by building alliances outside of the West’s economic and political orbit. “Both Kim and Putin are trying to reduce the pain of international sanctions by creating an alternate network of friends and partners beyond the reach of U.S. sanctions,” said Jeffrey Lewis, a director at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
In addition to the exchange of weapons and resources, Kim has his own strategic objectives. North Korea is keen to access advanced Russian military technology—particularly as it seeks to enhance its missile systems and nuclear capabilities. While Pyongyang has made notable strides in recent years, including the miniaturization of nuclear warheads and advancements in missile technology, Russia’s more sophisticated systems, such as thermonuclear warheads and solid rocket motors, remain beyond North Korea’s reach.
During Kim’s visit to Russia in September 2023, Putin pledged to assist North Korea in developing its satellite technology, following a series of failed launches by Pyongyang. The promise of cooperation on such sensitive technology has drawn criticism from the international community, as it could further escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
Further heightening concerns, South Korean lawmaker Kang Dae-sik claimed on Tuesday that Seoul’s military had detected signs of construction related to a possible nuclear-powered submarine in North Korea. Citing intelligence sources, Rep. Kang noted that while the construction was still in its early stages, “further confirmation is needed on whether it is nuclear-powered.”
Kim, in a separate statement on Tuesday, vowed to accelerate North Korea’s push to become a military superpower equipped with nuclear weapons, signaling that the North’s growing partnership with Russia could lead to even more aggressive military advancements in the coming months.
As the West watches these developments closely, the strengthened ties between Pyongyang and Moscow are shaping up to be a significant geopolitical force, potentially altering the balance of power in the region and beyond.
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