North Korea is now supporting Russia in the Ukrainian conflict. In November 2024, Russia and North Korea signed an agreement to support each other in the event of an attack. The treaty is about a comprehensive strategic partnership and it was signed on June 18, 2024 in North Korea.
North Korea provides Russia with a lot of weapons and military support. For example, in recent weeks, North Korea sent to Russia 50 domestically produced 170mm self-propelled howitzers and 20 domestically produced 240mm multiple launch rocket systems. Since August 2023, North Korea has sent more than 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles, and other conventional weapons to Russia. The support does not stop with traditional weapons as they have started to send military troops.
The first North Korean troops were engaged in combat in the Kursk region of Russia on November 4.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “When the war reaches 1,000 days, my country could face 100,000 North Korean troops.” Russia currently has more than 10,000 North Korean troops on the battlefield.
The impact of this support could shift the balance of power in key areas of the conflict, particularly in regions where Russian forces are under pressure. North Korea’s expertise in artillery, rocket launchers, and heavy weapons could provide additional fire support in battles.
North Korea is equipped with logistical support, but North Korea’s troops are not known for their high combat effectiveness compared to better-trained troops. Their potential to impact Russian military capabilities is limited by several factors such as technological gaps, limited strategic value, and some adaptation challenges. The most significant effect would be geopolitical, straining international relations and further isolating Russia.
Both Russia and North Korea have potential benefits from this alliance, but the relationship is also highly complex. Russia gains some additional military assets, artillery and missile support, and the diversion of Ukrainian resources. For Russia, North Korean soldiers can serve to strengthen Russian forces on the ground, particularly in areas where Russia needs them.
North Korea is acquiring weapons and military technology, economic support, to strengthen its regional influence and to have potential political solidarity. North Korea is mainly there for military technology because they don’t have any.
This alliance has provoked reactions around the world. The United States, the European Union and NATO consider it as a violation of international norms and a new escalation of the conflict. “The government is monitoring with serious concern North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia, including the possibility of the troops taking part in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Hayashi, the top government spokesman in Japan, said at a press briefing.
They are concerned that it could prolong the war.
South Korea and Japan are both concerned about the deepening ties between North Korea and Russia. Japan and South Korea are likely to strengthen their military defenses, and there could be calls for closer coordination with the United States to prevent future North Korean provocations.
