For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emails<\/p>\n
I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our\u00a0privacy policy<\/p>\n
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will \u201cinvariably support\u201d Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine as he met Russia’s defense chief, the North\u2019s state media reported Saturday.<\/p>\n
A Russia military delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday, amid growing international concern about the two countries\u2019 expanding cooperation after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia last month.<\/p>\n
The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached \u201ca satisfactory consensus\u201d on boosting strategic partnership and defending each country\u2019s sovereignty, security interests and international justice in the face of the rapidly-changing international security environments in a Friday meeting.<\/p>\n
Kim said that North Korea \u201cwill invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists\u2019 moves for hegemony,\u201d KCNA said.<\/p>\n
North Korea has supported Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, calling it a defensive response to what both Moscow and Pyongyang call NATO\u2019s \u201creckless\u201d eastward advance and U.S.-led moves to stamp out Russia\u2019s position as a powerful state.<\/p>\n
Kim slammed a U.S. decision earlier in November to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with U.S.-supplied longer-range missiles as a direct intervention in the conflict. He called recent Russian strikes on Ukraine \u201ca timely and effective measure” demonstrate Russia’s resolve, KCNA said.<\/p>\n
According to U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia and some of them have already begun engaging in combat on the frontlines. U.S., South Korean and others say North Korea has also shipped artillery systems, missiles and other conventional weapons to replenish Russia\u2019s exhausted weapons inventory.<\/p>\n
Both North Korea and Russia haven\u2019t formally confirmed the North Korean troops\u2019 movements, and have steadfastly denied reports of weapons shipments. <\/p>\n
South Korea, the U.S. and their partners are concerned that Russia could give North Korea advanced weapons technology in return, including help to build more powerful nuclear missiles.<\/p>\n
Last week, South Korean national security adviser Shin Wonsik told a local SBS TV program that that Seoul assessed that Russia has provided air defense missile systems to North Korea. He said Russia also appeared to have given economic assistance to North Korea and various military technologies, including those needed for the North\u2019s efforts to build a reliable space-based surveillance system. <\/p>\n
Belousov also met North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol on Friday. During a dinner banquet later the same day, Belousov said the the two countries’ strategic partnership was crucial to defend their sovereignty from aggression and the arbitrary actions of imperialists, KCNA said.<\/p>\n
In June, Kim and Putin signed a treaty requiring both countries to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked. It’s considered the two countries\u2019 biggest defense deal since the end of the Cold War.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emails I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our\u00a0privacy policy North Korean leader Kim Jong […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n