North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a birthday message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to him as his “closest comrade.” In his message, marking Putin’s 72nd birthday, Kim expressed confidence that relations between the two nations would reach new heights. Since the onset of the Ukraine war, ties between Pyongyang and Moscow have grown closer, raising concerns in the West.
Separately on Tuesday, Kim announced that North Korea would accelerate efforts to become a military superpower equipped with nuclear weapons. Quoting North Korean state media KCNA, Yonhap News reported that Kim praised the “invincible and eternal” relationship between North Korea and Russia, which has strengthened since Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June. He emphasized that meetings and the bond between them would “positively contribute to further consolidating the eternal foundation of the DPRK-Russia friendship.”
The history of the North Korea-Russia relationship dates back to the era of Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The Soviet Union provided North Korea with weapons and technology in its early years, and North Korea has historically preferred Russia’s support over China’s, as it does not fully trust Beijing.
Earlier this year, Kim and Putin signed an agreement promising mutual assistance in the event of “aggression” against either country, though the specifics of what would constitute such aggression remain unclear. Kim has been accused of supplying weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine in exchange for economic and technological aid. Growing evidence suggests that Russia has deployed North Korean missiles in Ukraine.
Jeffrey Lewis, director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, noted that Kim and Putin are attempting to mitigate the impact of international sanctions by creating a network of allies outside the reach of U.S. sanctions.
During Kim’s visit to Russia in September 2023, Putin pledged to assist North Korea in developing its satellite program following several failed launches by Pyongyang. Additionally, on Tuesday, a South Korean lawmaker reported that Seoul’s military had detected possible signs of North Korea beginning the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. Citing South Korea’s intelligence agency, Rep. Kang Dae-sik stated that the construction was in its early stages, and further confirmation was needed to determine if the submarine was indeed nuclear-powered.