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2d ago

Kim Jong-un Defends North Korea's Troop Deployment to Russia as Sovereign Right

The North Korean leader justified the deployment of 15,000 troops to the Kursk front under a mutual defense treaty, warning of further military action if Russia is attacked.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with North Korean servicemen on Red Square after the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2025.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) delivers a speech during his visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on May 9, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, in this photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

Overview

  • Kim Jong-un publicly defended North Korea's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine during a Victory Day event at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on May 9, 2025.
  • He framed the deployment of approximately 15,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk front as a fulfillment of a June 2024 mutual defense treaty with Moscow.
  • Seoul’s intelligence estimates that North Korean forces have suffered over 4,700 casualties, including about 600 deaths, since their deployment.
  • Kim claimed the deployment was necessary to counter perceived Ukrainian aggression against Russian territory and warned of potential North Korean military action if the U.S. and its allies intervene further.
  • The remarks come amid escalating geopolitical tensions, with Western nations condemning the DPRK-Russia alliance and South Korea considering increased support for Ukraine.