[War & Business] North Korea and Russia Reunited as Blood Allies

North Korea and Russia Officially Confirm Troop Deployment
Concerns Rise Over Automatic Military Intervention on the Korean Peninsula

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) during his visit to Pyongyang last June, is signing the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty." Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Both North Korea and Russia have officially acknowledged the deployment of North Korean troops to the war in Ukraine. They explained that the deployment was based on the "automatic military intervention in case of emergency" clause included in the treaty signed between North Korea and Russia in June of last year. The Russian government emphasized its blood alliance with North Korea, referring to North Korean soldiers as "comrades who fought shoulder to shoulder and shed blood together in the trenches."

Analysts suggest that Russia's shift in stance?after consistently denying the deployment of North Korean troops since it was first confirmed in October of last year?aims to secure additional troop deployments from North Korea. North Korea reportedly dispatched an initial force of over 11,000 soldiers in October of last year, followed by an additional deployment of around 3,000 troops earlier this year. While North Korean forces initially suffered heavy casualties due to difficulties in countering new weapon systems such as drones, their performance has improved as they have become more accustomed to the battlefield, leading Russia to seek further deployments.

There are also suggestions that North Korean troops may be deployed to other Ukrainian battlefields beyond the Kursk region. Some foreign media outlets report that certain North Korean soldiers are already engaged in combat alongside Russian forces beyond the Kursk front, near the Ukrainian border. If North Korean forces are fully committed to invading Ukrainian territory, beyond participating in operations to reclaim Russian land previously occupied by Ukraine, they are likely to be clearly categorized as an invading force alongside Russia.

North Korea’s strengthening of its blood alliance with Russia introduces a new variable to security on the Korean Peninsula. This is because the clause for automatic military intervention in case of emergency between the former Soviet Union and North Korea, which was abolished after the end of the Cold War, has now been revived. Previously, China was the only country with the option for automatic military intervention in a North Korean emergency, but with Russia now included, the military dynamics surrounding the Korean Peninsula are expected to become even more complex.

Previously, North Korea secured a commitment for automatic Soviet military intervention in emergencies under the "North Korea-Soviet Union Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance" signed in 1961. However, this treaty was abolished in 1996 by the Boris Yeltsin administration in Russia, following persistent requests from the South Korean government. At the time, South Korea managed to have the mutual assistance treaty with North Korea terminated, overcoming strong opposition from Russia on the grounds of non-interference in internal affairs. Now, less than 30 years later, the clause has been revived.

In addition to the prospect of military intervention in emergencies, the strengthening of military cooperation itself poses a new security risk. Russia possesses significant technological capabilities in advanced military fields, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), hypersonic missiles, and stealth fighter jets. Excluding nuclear weapons, North Korea, which has faced a severe technological gap with South Korea in conventional military power, now has the opportunity to acquire new technologies and tactics through military cooperation with Russia.

South Korea’s situation in responding to these developments is far from easy. Political instability continues amid ongoing turmoil following the impeachment crisis and the upcoming presidential election, while immediate challenges such as the defense cost-sharing agreement and tariff issues with the Donald Trump administration in the United States must be addressed. There are concerns that the longer negotiations with the United States are delayed, the more passively South Korea will be forced to act on security matters concerning the Korean Peninsula. At least in the realm of diplomacy and security, it is hoped that the political community will act swiftly and in unison to address these urgent issues.