North Korea Strengthens Its Relationship with Russia

The two countries are beginning to coordinate closely on defense, most notably with regards to the war in Ukraine, and the geopolitical consequences may be huge.

The news that North Korea has deployed up to 12,000 troops to aid Russia in its war with Ukraine, and that some of these troops have been spotted on the battlefield in recent weeks, may have taken casual observers by surprise. But in fact, the military cooperation between the two countries is only one facet of a close relationship that has been evolving rapidly in recent years.

For Ukrainians, who are nearing the fourth year of their war with Russia, the cooperation between their two adversaries may seem like a match made in hell. Yet Russia and North Korea stand to benefit greatly from each other, according to a new report by foreign policy analyst Robert Peters.

In fact, Peters writes, the leaders of both countries “have increasingly leveraged the other country’s strengths to overcome their nation’s own weaknesses.” Russia, its military resources sapped dry by years of war, gets troops and weaponry, while the poverty-stricken North Korea gets humanitarian aid, and has likely also received technical assistance with its nuclear program.

To be sure, the close relationship between the two countries is nothing new. It traces its origins back to the Cold War, when North Korea was part of the Soviet-led communist bloc. Although relations cooled after the Soviet Union collapsed, they had begun to rebound by the late 2010s, while simultaneously, ties between Russia and South Korea deteriorated.

Yet it is Russia’s war with Ukraine, Peters writes, that set the stage for the current iteration of its partnership with North Korea. Although North Korean weapons were being used by Russian forces as early as 2023, the defense relationship was formalized in a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang in June 2024. This exchange follows a pattern for North Korea, which has for decades supplied weapons to various dictatorships and terrorist organizations.

It is unclear exactly what Putin was forced to pay in exchange for these weapons. However, it likely involves some combination of hard currency, food support, and raw materials, as well as diplomatic support at the United Nations, where Russia holds a Security Council veto. Yet North Korea’s primary interest in its partnership with Russia is undoubtedly military in nature.

Although North Korea is a highly militarized nation, much of its equipment is out of date, and it likely desires more high-tech armaments, as well as the know-how to produce and utilize them. Specifically, the report cites maneuverable cruise missiles, miniaturized warheads, and intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles as areas in which Russian assistance may be crucial. And, indeed, there is already some evidence that such assistance has taken place, with several successful North Korean tests of new missile technology over the past year.

This partnership is not just a problem for Ukraine. On the contrary, North Korea’s East Asian neighbors will face an increased threat level – as will the United States. Emboldened by a stronger nuclear arsenal, and a missile system capable of delivering it, North Korea will be more likely to provoke conflicts with the Western powers, which could in a worst-case scenario lead to a grave miscalculation and outright nuclear war. Even short of this, the United States stands to lose greatly from becoming entangled in a conflict on the Korean peninsula.

In light of this, the report recommends that the United States work with its allies, particularly South Korea and Japan, to counter the rising threat. This would involve integrating the military capabilities of the three nations, sharing data, and engaging in joint exercises so as to maintain a maximal state of readiness. In addition, the United States should work to more rigorously enforce already existing (but poorly applied) sanctions on the North Korean regime.

If the regime is not contained, then Peters suggests it will become a key part of “a new Axis of Authoritarians,” which would include not just Russia but likely China and Iran as well. Yet despite America’s best efforts, the small, impoverished, but highly belligerent country may still play an outsized role in militarily undermining Western nations across the globe for years to come.