Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on June 19 that the comprehensive partnership treaty between Russia and North Korea includes provisions for mutual support in the event of an attack on either party. According to Russia’s Izvestia newspaper, Putin made this statement during a joint press conference after a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The newly signed agreement replaces previous agreements between the two countries. Based on Putin’s remarks, the treaty’s provisions for mutual support in case of an attack are seen as a revival of the “automatic military intervention clause” abolished after the Cold War. This clause, included in the 1961 treaty between the Soviet Union and North Korea, mandated that each side would immediately provide military support if the other were attacked. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia annulled this treaty. The 2000 friendship treaty, which became the foundational legal document for bilateral relations, omitted this clause, instead stipulating immediate contact in case of a crisis.
During the press conference, Putin also mentioned that the new treaty allows for military and technical cooperation with North Korea. Earlier, in an extended summit with Kim Jong-un, Putin had announced that a new “comprehensive strategic partnership agreement” had been prepared to replace three previous North Korea-Russia treaties, forming the basis for long-term bilateral relations.
Kim Jong-un declared that North Korea-Russia relations were entering their “golden age” and announced that the relationship was being elevated to an alliance. He stated that a legal framework had been established to realize the grand visions of both countries’ leaders and the century-long aspirations of their peoples, aimed at firmly safeguarding regional and global peace and security while building strong nations.
The two leaders held a private summit for about two hours, followed by an expanded summit involving high-ranking officials from both sides, including those responsible for defense, foreign affairs, space development, energy, transportation, and railways. This North Korea-Russia summit, held in Pyongyang, was the third such meeting following the summits in Vladivostok in 2019 and at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in 2023. Putin expressed his hope for the next summit to be held in Moscow, inviting Kim Jong-un to the Russian capital. Putin’s visit to North Korea was his first in 24 years, following his previous visit in 2000.
