North Korea Sends Military Delegation to Russia, Deepening Ties Amidst Ukraine War

North Korea Sends Military Delegation to Russia, Raising Concerns

North Korea has dispatched an elite army training delegation to Russia, prompting concerns from Western nations about deepening military cooperation between the two countries amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. This marks the first official military exchange between the two nations since Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang last month, where he signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The People's Army of North Korea's military education delegation, led by Kim Kum-chol, president of Kim Il-sung Military University, departed for Russia on Monday. The purpose and duration of the visit remain undisclosed.

Kim Il-sung Military University, named after North Korea's first leader, serves as a training institute for military officers. Notably, Kim Jong-un is believed to have attended courses at the university after returning from Switzerland.

The strategic partnership signed by Putin and Kim includes a mutual defense pact, obligating both countries to provide assistance if one is attacked. This agreement has sparked anxieties in South Korea and its ally, the United States, who fear potential military implications.

The US and South Korea have accused North Korea of supplying artillery, missiles, and other weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine in exchange for advanced military technologies and economic aid. Both North Korea and Russia have denied these claims.

Any military exchange with North Korea would violate UN sanctions that prohibit member nations from providing military support to Pyongyang. In a recent interview with Reuters, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is attending a NATO summit this week, urged Russia to refrain from providing any military assistance to North Korea.

President Yoon emphasized that Russian military cooperation with North Korea would constitute a "distinct threat and grave challenge" to the security of Europe and the Korean peninsula. He further stated that he would discuss the matter at the NATO summit and asserted that the future of Russia's ties with Seoul "depends entirely" on its actions.