The Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a security and defense treaty between

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

and

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. It was signed on 18 June 2024 during a visit by

Russian president The president of Russia, officially the president of the Russian Federation (), is the executive head of state of Russia. The president is the chair of the Federal State Council and the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces. I ...

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...

to North Korea.

History

The treaty was signed on 18 June 2024 by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian president Vladimir Putin in

Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...

. It came amidst deepening ties between Russia and North Korea and suspected North Korean support for Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. Kim described the relationship between two nations as a "fiery friendship" and called the treaty the "strongest ever treaty", while Putin praised it as a "breakthrough document".

Content

The treaty is composed of a preamble and 23 articles. It covers political, trade, investment, and security cooperation. Article 3 states "in case a direct threat of armed invasion is created", the two nations "shall immediately operate the channel of bilateral negotiations for the purpose of adjusting their stands" and "discussing feasible practical measures". Article 4 of the treaty states that should either nation "put in a state of war by an armed invasion", the other "provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay" in accordance "with Article 51 of the UN Charter and the laws of the DPRK and the Russian Federation". Article 8 states the two sides "shall establish mechanisms" to "strengthen defense capabilities to prevent war". Article 10 states that the parties "develop exchanges and cooperation" in areas such as science and "peaceful nuclear energy". The treaty also expresses opposition to "unilateral coercive measures of an extraterritorial nature." Article 16 state the two nations "consider the implementation of such measures to be illegal and acts that violate the U.N. Charter and international norms".

Ratification

On 24 October 2024, the

State Duma The State Duma is the lower house of the Federal Assembly (Russia), Federal Assembly of Russia, with the upper house being the Federation Council (Russia), Federation Council. It was established by the Constitution of Russia, Constitution of t ...

unanimously voted to ratify the agreement; the Federation Council ratified the treaty on 6 November, in a similar unanimous vote. On 9 November, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the North Korea-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty into law. Kim Jong Un in his capacity as the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

of the

State Affairs Commission of North Korea The State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (SAC) is constitutionally the supreme political authority of North Korea. The State Affairs Commission was created by 2016 amendments to the Socialist Constitution of the ...

signed a decree which ratified the treaty on 11 November. The treaty officially came into force on 4 December after the exchange of ratification instruments.

Aftermath

In October 2024, according to South Korea's intelligence agency, North Korea sent 1,500 special operation forces in Russia to prepare for battle in

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. In December, Aleksandr Matsegora, the Russian ambassador to North Korea, hosted a reception to mark the signature of the treaty.

References

{{reflist

External links

The Text of the Treaty
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Korean Central Television Korean Central Television (KCTV; ) is a North Korean television service operated by the Korean Central Broadcasting Committee, a state-owned broadcaster in North Korea. It is broadcast terrestrially via the Pyongyang TV Tower in Moranbong-g ...