Overview

• During Sergei Shoigu’s June 4 visit to Pyongyang, Kim Jong-un affirmed full backing for Russia’s stance on Ukraine and vowed to uphold mutual defense treaty commitments.
• North Korea has dispatched roughly 15,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces since April, with South Korean intelligence reporting over 4,700 casualties including about 600 fatalities.
• A Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team assessment indicates Pyongyang shipped up to nine million rounds of mixed artillery ammunition and at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia’s operations near the Kursk region.
• On June 5, the U.S. State Department called for an immediate end to North Korea’s military deployment to Russia and any reciprocal support from Moscow.
• South Korea’s newly sworn-in President Lee Jae-myung has pledged to stabilize the peninsula, underscoring regional concerns over the deepening North Korea–Russia alliance.