Putin arrives in North Korea for the first time in 24 years

Putin has last visited this country in 2000.

The History of Two Countries

As the West continues to isolate Russia for the war launched in Ukraine, analysts have noted that North Korea has become each most valuable for Moscow.

From the point of view of North Korea, relations with Russia have not always been as warm as in the era of the Soviet Union, but this country has been well aware of Moscow's need for more friends.

North Korea, a communist country, was established at the beginning of the Cold War, with the support of the Soviet Union.

North Korea fought South Korea in 1950-1953, with considerable help from China and the Soviet Union.

North Korea has been dependent on decades of Soviet aid, and the breakup of the Soviet Union in the 1990s has contributed to the growing hunger rate in North Korea.

Kim, who came to power in 2011, had first cool relations with Russia and China, when the two countries joined the United States to impose severe sanctions on North Korea for conducting nuclear trials.

Russia has joined China in calling against new sanctions on North Korea, thus blocking the US initiative at the UN Security Council.

In March, Russia has also blocked the continuation of monitoring of the northeastern programme by a team of UN experts, who analyse whether European is acting in opposition to sanctions.

Commitment Between Russia and North Korea

After the last nuclear test in 2017, Kim has taken steps to improve ties with Russia and has met Putin for the first time in 2019, in the Russian town of Vdalvostok.

In September last year, Putin has welcomed Kim in Russia's Far East space and has pledged to help North Korea build satellites, and that the two countries will extend co-operation in many areas.

Citing the importance of deepening ties, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has visited Pyongyang in July 2023 and participated in a military parade in which even banned ballistic missiles have been introduced.

Since Kim and Putin met last year, a deepening co-operation and frequent visits by delegations specialising in many fields - agriculture, culture, and zoos - have been observed.

How has war in Ukraine affected relations between the two countries?

North Korea has offered public support to Moscow for the war launched in Ukraine in February 2022.

This has been one of the few countries that recognises the independence of Ukrainian territories Russia considers their own, and expresses open support for annexing certain parts of Ukraine from Moscow.

The United States and several other countries have accused North Korea of transferring weapons to Russia, which it later used in Ukraine.

A rocket launched in the Ukrainian town of Harkiwi, on 2 January this year, has been the northeastern Hwasong-11 missile, launched by Russian territory, according to a UN monitoring team.

Both Moscow and Phenan have dismissed the accusations, but have vowed to deepen military ties.

Shoigu has told Russian media last year that Moscow is discussing the possibility of maintaining a joint military parade with North Korea.

Why not, they're our neighbors. It is a Russian proverb who says the neighbours cannot pick them and it is better to live with neighbours in peace and harmony”, the Russian news agency Interfax reported, quoting the Russian minister.

Economic ties

In 2022, Russia and North Korea have returned train trips for the first time from their break as a result of the coronary pandemic.

On the train was an unusual shipment: 30 purebred horses.

Not long ago, Russia has returned oil exports to North Korea for the first time since 2020.

The Northeasts do mostly trade with China, but Russia is potentially important partners, experts have said.

Moscow has denied that it violated UN sanctions when it exported oil to Pyongyang.

Russian officials have openly discussed the possibility of employment of 20,000 to 50,000 northeastern workers, despite UN Security Council resolutions banning such practices.

Russian officials and leaders of occupied regions in Ukraine have also discussed the possibility of employing northern workers to help rebuild war-torn parts, reports REL.