BEIJING, China – The Kremlin announced Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and thanked him for supporting the Russian military with troops.
This came after they attended the massive Chinese military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II.
While Kim stressed that providing all possible assistance to Russia is a fraternal duty for North Korea.
The North Korean leader also stressed that “relations between the two countries are developing in all fields”.
Stronger Cooperation
He stressed that cooperation between North Korea and Russia has become stronger since the 2024 treaty.
For his part, Putin explained that the North Korean army participated in the liberation of the Russian Kursk province at the initiative of Kim Jong Un.
“North Korean soldiers fought bravely and heroically in the Kursk region, and our country will never forget that,” he said.
He also stressed that “Russia and North Korea are fighting together against modern neo-Nazism”.
In a phrase Putin has long repeated to refer to the ruling in Kiev.
It is noteworthy that Pyongyang had sent workers to Russia in 2024, which lacks manpower due to the war.
Forces were also deployed in Kursk to support the Russian war effort.
While the United States estimated the number of North Korean soldiers in Russia at between 11 and 14 thousand.
On June 18, 2024, Russia and North Korea signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty.
Which led to the formalization of a defense treaty previously signed between them.
