North Korea and Russia are united in their struggle against the West. In this context, it can be said that Pyongyang and Moscow have revisionist ideals and challenge the post-Cold War New World Order led by the West.
North Korea is facing serious sanctions in the global arena. Similarly, Russia has been subjected to sanctions by the Western Bloc over the war in Ukraine. Both states are significant nuclear powers. In today’s international conjuncture, the global security environment has become increasingly fragile due to the risks posed by nuclear proliferation. North Korea conducted a record-breaking Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Test [1] in 2022 and is trying to demonstrate that it is one of the world’s greatest nuclear powers.
Russia has been threatening the use of nuclear weapons since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. These common denominators make both Pyongyang and Moscow extremely dangerous for the West, and especially for the United States (US). Moreover, the Western bloc’s sanctions resolutions against North Korea in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) are blocked by Russia’s veto.
It can be argued that Moscow and Pyongyang are strong allies in shaping the global system, opposing the “international liberal order” and competing with the United States. On December 22, 2022, the White House claimed that a private Russian military company, the Wagner Group, had purchased weapons from North Korea for soldiers fighting in Ukraine. In this context, John Kirby, National Security Advisor to US President Joe Biden, claimed that North Korea completed its first shipment of weapons, including rockets and missiles, to Russia in November 2022. [2]
On September 12, 2023, North Korean President Kim Jong Un visited the Vostochny Spaceport in Russia’s Amur region for a comprehensive meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. [3] The West claimed that the meeting would be on the arms trade. In response to these allegations, Putin said “we will discuss everything” and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that both countries cooperate in sensitive areas that should not be publicized. This can be interpreted as Russia not denying the allegations. Moreover, the participation of North Korean military officials in the meeting could strengthen these allegations.
One of the most notable decisions following the talks was Russia’s decision to support North Korea’s satellite launch initiatives. Putin stated that “the North Korean leader shows great interest in rocket engineering and is also trying to develop space.[4] This shows Russia’s significant support for North Korea. It is estimated that this support may turn into nuclear cooperation. It can be argued that this decision could seriously disturb the Western Bloc and especially Washington, further fragilizing global security.
It is stated that Russia will receive arms aid from North Korea in return for this support. This is because North Korea still uses Soviet technology in its arms industry. Russia’s failure to achieve the desired results in the war in Ukraine and Kiev’s move to go on the offensive could mean that Moscow is seeking arms from Pyongyang in order to ease its hand.
After his meeting with Putin, Kim Jong-un made the following statements:
“We believe that the Russian army and people will win a great victory in the holy struggle to punish evil. I deeply believe that the heroic Russian army and nation will largely inherit the tradition of victory and display invaluable virtue and honor on the frontlines of the special military operation. North Korea and Russia will continue to stand together in the fight against imperialism. North Korea supports Putin’s decisions.”
As a result, Pyongyang continued to provide open support to Moscow in the Russia-Ukraine War. With this meeting, it can be said that the Moscow-Pyongyang unity will be further strengthened and they will take a stronger stance against the West, especially in the war in Ukraine.
[1] “North Korea’s Record Year of Missile Testing is Putting the World on Edge”, Cable News Network, https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/26/asia/north-korea-missile-testing-year-end-intl-hnk/index.html, (Erişim Tarihi: 13.09.2023).
[2] “White House: Russia’s Wagner Received Arms From North Korea”, AP News, https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-north-korea-e6a068d91bc9828ecadfb67c929a4162, (Erişim Tarihi: 13.09.2023).
[3] “Kim and Putin Meet at Russian Spaceport for Possible Arms Talks”, NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/, (Erişim Tarihi: 13.09.2023).
[4] Same place
