Russian defence minister visits North Korea to expand cooperation

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov met with his North Korean counterpart No Kwang Cho for talks in Pyongyang on Friday. During the meeting, he said military cooperation between the two countries is expanding.

Belousov also said that a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June is aimed at “stabilising” Northeast Asia.

He added that “the agreement aims to reduce the risk of war, including nuclear weapons, and to make a positive contribution to maintaining the balance of power in the region.”

“Trustworthy contacts between the leaders of our countries play a key role in strengthening Russian-Korean relations,” Belousov said.

During his remarks, No said that North Korea would stand “on the common front with Russian comrades to safeguard international peace and security.”

Belousov’s visit came just days after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with a Ukrainian delegation led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

President Yoon called for the two countries to formulate countermeasures against North Korea’s reported deployment of thousands of troops to Russia to support its war effort in Ukraine.

The United States and its allies have said North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia in recent weeks and that some of those troops were engaging in combat.

North Korean leader Kim in recent months has prioritised relations with Russia as he tries to break out of isolation and strengthen his international footing, embracing the idea of a “new Cold War.”