Russian parliament ratifies military partnership pact with North Korea

Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, voted on Thursday to ratify a defence pact with North Korea that provides for “mutual assistance” if either country comes under attack.

Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed the strategic partnership agreement during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June. The agreement will now be sent to the upper house of Russia’s parliament for a final vote, before being signed by Putin, though such measures are effectively seen as a rubber stamp.

The agreement, comprising 23 articles, is valid indefinitely and provides for expanded cooperation in the space and nuclear spheres, trade, economics, and investment.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said last Tuesday that the pact with North Korea implied “truly strategic deep cooperation in all areas, including security”, but did not clarify how a mutual defence clause could be implemented in practice.

The US announced on Wednesday that 3,000 North Korean troops had been sent to Russia and were undergoing training at multiple locations, calling the move very serious and warning that those forces would be “fair game” if they went into combat in Ukraine.

The US, South Korea and Ukraine have all accused North Korea of sending weapons to Russia for use in the war. Earlier this month The Times reported that approximately half of the 3 million artillery shells used annually by Russia in its war against Ukraine were being supplied to it by Pyongyang. Russia and North Korea have previously rejected such reports.