Putin’s Security Adviser Visits North Korea Amid Strengthening Ties

Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s security adviser, has arrived in North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un, amidst growing security ties. North Korea has reportedly deployed troops to support Russia in Ukraine, while both nations continue to strengthen their strategic partnership under a mutual defense pact established in June 2024.

Sergei Shoigu, President Vladimir Putin’s top security adviser, has arrived in North Korea for discussions with leader Kim Jong Un. This visit marks a significant development in the strengthening of security relations between Russia and North Korea, as reported by TASS. However, North Korea’s state media has not yet reported on Mr. Shoigu’s arrival, and further details remain scarce.

Previously, Mr. Shoigu served as Russia’s defense minister and has visited Pyongyang in the context of North Korea allegedly preparing to send soldiers to support Russia in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to American and South Korean sources, North Korea has deployed nearly 11,000 troops to assist in combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region, alongside shipments of heavy weaponry including artillery and ballistic missiles.

As Russian forces have faced a Ukrainian offensive in Kursk since last August, they are reportedly nearing a retake of the area. In exchange for military aid, North Korea is believed to be receiving technological and economic support from Moscow. Although both countries have not officially confirmed the dispatch of troops and armaments, they maintain that they are upholding a strategic partnership agreement established in June 2024, which encompasses a mutual defense pact requiring each nation to aid the other in the event of an attack.

The visit of Sergei Shoigu to North Korea highlights the accelerating security collaboration between Russia and North Korea. Amid claims of troop deployments and military support, both nations are advancing their strategic partnership under a mutual defense treaty while refraining from publicly acknowledging such military assistance. This development indicates a potentially significant shift in geopolitical dynamics within the region.

Original Source: www.independent.co.uk