Russia, North Korea agree 'long-term' military cooperation
DW.com • • world
Key Points:
- Two senior Russian officials visited North Korea to inaugurate a memorial for North Korean troops who died fighting in Ukraine and to negotiate a new defense cooperation agreement lasting until 2031.
- Military and political cooperation between Russia and North Korea has intensified amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Pyongyang providing military support, particularly in the Kursk border region.
- Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov held talks with North Korean leaders and announced plans to formalize military cooperation for 2027-2031, emphasizing a long-term partnership.
- A memorial in Pyongyang honors North Korean soldiers killed fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, with Putin sending a telegram thanking Kim Jong Un and the troops for their efforts.
- The chairman of Russia's State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, attended the memorial inauguration, while South Korea estimates up to 2,000 North Korean casualties in the conflict, though only two soldiers have been captured by Ukraine.
