Overview
- Russia’s Security Council head Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang on June 4 for talks with Kim Jong-un on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.
- Kim Jong-un pledged to “unconditionally support” Russia’s policies on Ukraine and committed to uphold treaty obligations for prompt military aid.
- North Korea has dispatched several thousand troops to bolster Russian forces in Ukraine and transferred massive shipments of artillery shells and missiles.
- In exchange, Russia is believed to have supplied North Korea with air defense systems and advanced military technologies despite strict international sanctions.
- The meeting coincided with South Korea’s presidential inauguration, prompting speculation about its impact on inter-Korean dialogue and regional security dynamics.