Russian President Vladimir Putin described the bond between Russia and North Korea as an “invincible friendship” in a New Year’s message to leader Kim Jong Un, according to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The letter, delivered to Pyongyang last week (reportedly sent on December 18), highlighted the role of North Korean troops supporting Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, particularly in the Kursk region, as proof of deep “militant fraternity” between the two countries.
Western and South Korean intelligence estimates indicate that North Korea deployed more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia in 2024, mainly to Kursk, along with substantial supplies of artillery shells, missiles, and long-range rocket systems.
Putin wrote: “The heroic entry of soldiers of the Korean People’s Army into the battles for liberating the Kursk region from occupiers and the subsequent activities of Korean engineers in the land of Russia clearly proved the invincible friendship.”
He also noted that the landmark comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed during his June 2024 visit to Pyongyang had been effectively implemented through “joint efforts.”
The agreement includes a mutual defense clause committing both sides to immediate military assistance in the event of armed aggression against either. Putin added that strengthening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow would help build “a just order of the multi-polar world.”
Seoul’s National Intelligence Service estimates that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to support Russia have been killed in action. North Korea officially acknowledged the troop deployment and combat deaths only in April 2025.
Since then, Kim has publicly met with families of the fallen, expressing condolences for their “unbearable pain,” and state media has released images showing an emotional Kim comforting a returning soldier.
The strengthened Russia-North Korea alignment follows last year’s military pact. Under South Korea’s previous conservative administration led by Yoon Suk Yeol, Seoul had hinted it might reconsider its long-standing policy against supplying lethal arms to Ukraine, but no such deliveries have occurred.
Kim Jong Un Inspects Nuclear Submarine Site
In a separate development reported by KCNA on the same day, Kim Jong Un visited a nuclear-powered submarine construction facility and supervised the test-firing of new high-altitude, long-range anti-air missiles.
During Wednesday’s tour of the submarine plant, Kim sharply criticized South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines in cooperation with the United States, labeling it a direct “threat” that must be countered.
The push stems from an October 2025 agreement announced by US President Donald Trump during a visit to South Korea, granting Seoul permission to develop such vessels.
Details remain sparse, including construction locations and technology transfer, given that nuclear submarine propulsion ranks among the most closely guarded military secrets, currently limited to a handful of nations.
KCNA quoted Kim saying the deteriorating security environment made it an “urgent task and indispensable option” to accelerate the “nuclear weaponization of the naval force.”
He also reviewed progress on “new underwater secret weapons,” outlined plans to reorganize naval forces, and directed the creation of new units.
In a parallel activity, Kim oversaw the successful test of “new-type high-altitude long-range anti-air missiles” over the East Sea (Sea of Japan).
KCNA reported the missiles struck mock targets at an altitude of 200 km—placing the intercept in space—with Kim extending congratulations on the outcome.
The visits and statements underscore North Korea’s accelerating efforts to modernize its navy and nuclear capabilities amid heightened regional tensions, including the deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
This comes as North Korea continues to frame US-South Korea military moves as provocative, while vowing to bolster its own defenses in response.
Via: AFP
