Putin: "North Korean Troops Fulfilled Their Mission with Honor and Courage... Thanks Also to Comrade Kim Jongun"

First Official Confirmation of North Korean Troop Deployment to Kursk
"North Korean Dispatch Based on North Korea-Russia Treaty Signed Last June"
"Treaty Allows Mutual Support Between Both Sides," Russia Claims

Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly expressed his gratitude to North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun for dispatching North Korean troops to the Kursk front.

On the morning of April 28, President Putin released a statement on the Kremlin's official website, saying, "The Korean People's Army fought together in the spirit of solidarity, justice, and true comradeship," and added, "We are deeply grateful for this, and we sincerely thank Chairman Kim Jongun, as well as the leadership and all the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."

Previously, on April 26, Russia officially announced the liberation of the Kursk region and revealed that North Korean troops had been deployed and fought on that front.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left), who made a state visit to North Korea, and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun are toasting at a state banquet held in Pyongyang on June 19 last year. Photo by Yonhap News

President Putin further stated, "The North Korean military units played an active role in the battle to repel the Ukrainian neo-Nazi units that invaded our territory," and added, "We highly appreciate this, and personally, I sincerely thank Comrade Kim Jongun, the State Affairs Commission Chairman, as well as the entire leadership and people of North Korea."

In particular, regarding the North Korean troops deployed to the Kursk front, he said, "They accomplished their mission with honor and courage," and emphasized, "The Russian people will never forget the heroic actions of the North Korean special forces who participated in defeating the Ukrainian military in Kursk."

He also stressed, "We are confident that the battle-hardened friendship, good-neighborly relations, and strong bonds of cooperation between our two countries will continue to grow and expand in all areas."

Putin: "North Korean military participation is based on the North Korea-Russia treaty... Provisions for military assistance"

President Putin claimed that the participation of North Korean troops on the Kursk front, Russian territory, was based on the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty" signed between North Korea and Russia in June last year, and that it does not violate international law. He stated, "Article 4 of this treaty stipulates that each party shall provide immediate military assistance in the event of an armed attack against the other party."

The image shows North Korean troops engaged in combat alongside Russian forces near the border of Kursk Oblast, Russia, as revealed by Ukraine last January. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to Russia's TASS news agency, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing on the same day, "The experience of the special military operation shows how effectively the treaty between Russia and North Korea works," and added, "We have a valid treaty, and under this treaty, both sides are to provide each other with substantial support."

In response, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Hagyu said at a briefing, "The participation of North Korean troops in the war in Ukraine is a clear illegal act that violates the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions." Regarding Russia's claim that the dispatch of North Korean troops was based on the treaty, he criticized it as "a deceptive act to disguise their own illegal actions."

Meanwhile, North Korea's Korean Central News Agency reported a written statement from the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, confirming that North Korean troops participated in the liberation operation in the Kursk region. This is the first official confirmation since North Korea dispatched more than 10,000 troops to Russia last October.

Russia had not previously mentioned the participation of North Korean troops in the Kursk battle, but on April 26, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov mentioned the deployment of North Korean troops for the first time during a video conference with President Putin.