North Korea Deploys Troops in Russia Under Military Pact

(MENAFN) North Korea officially confirmed on Monday that it sent troops to Russia to support Moscow in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, marking the first acknowledgment of such a deployment, according to media reports.

Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader, authorized the dispatch of military forces to Russia’s Kursk region, citing the need to honor obligations under a mutual defense agreement, according to the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The commission explained that Kim's decision was based on an evaluation that the circumstances met the criteria outlined in Article 4 of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and North Korea. This article mandates mutual military support if either nation is attacked by an external adversary.

It stated that the military actions of North Korean forces in Russia "fully conform to all the provisions and the spirit of the UN Charter and other international laws."

On Saturday, Russia’s defense forces announced that they had successfully expelled Ukrainian troops from Kursk. Russian Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, expressed gratitude to North Korean soldiers for their support, noting they "fought shoulder to shoulder" with Russian forces.

Gerasimov further emphasized that North Korean troops were operating strictly within Russian borders, as permitted under the bilateral defense agreement that allows Russia to request North Korean assistance.

The move drew sharp condemnation from South Korea, which voiced its strong disapproval.

"With their public admission of the deployment, while claiming they are fully in accordance with international law, they are once again mocking the international community. We strongly condemn this action," stated Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.

South Korea urged both Russia and North Korea to "immediately cease their unlawful military cooperation," emphasizing that it "seriously undermines peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, including Europe."

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