North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged his country’s “full support” for Russia’s military, calling it a “fraternal duty,” while Russian President Vladimir Putin described the two nations’ ties as “special,” according to North Korea’s state media KCNA.
The announcement came during a rare high-profile meeting on the sidelines of China’s World War II commemorations in Beijing, marking the formal surrender of Japan. For the first time in decades, the leaders of North Korea, Russia, and China appeared together at a major event, flanking Chinese President Xi Jinping during a massive military parade attended by dozens of international leaders.
Photos released by KCNA showed Kim walking and smiling alongside Putin and Xi. The North Korean media reported that the two leaders “exchanged candid opinions on important international and regional issues.”
Putin reportedly praised North Korean troops deployed in Ukraine and highlighted the “special” relationship between the two countries, which he described as one of trust, friendship, and alliance. North Korea has already sent soldiers, artillery, ammunition, and missiles to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
South Korean intelligence estimates that approximately 2,000 North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia have been killed, with plans to deploy another 6,000 troops, including around 1,000 already in combat roles in Russia.
KCNA added that Kim and Putin discussed long-term cooperation, reaffirming their “steadfast will” to strengthen bilateral ties. Last year, the two countries signed a mutual defense treaty requiring each side to aid the other in the event of armed conflict, signaling an intensifying military partnership.
