Russia and North Korea Deepen Military Ties, Open Memorial for Fallen Soldiers

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin visited North Korea over the weekend, where they met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two nations agreed to sign a bilateral military cooperation plan for the period 2027-2031.

Kim Jang Un pledged full support for Russia's policy of defending its sovereignty and security interests.

Volodin also attended the inauguration of a memorial museum in Pyongyang dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Memorial Museum Ceremony

North Korea opened the "Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations" on Sunday. The ceremony marked the first anniversary of what North Korea and Russia describe as the end of an operation in Russia's Kursk border region.

Kim Jong Un attended the ceremony alongside senior Russian officials, including Volodin and Belousov. According to reports, Kim sprinkled earth over the remains of one soldier and laid flowers for others. Kim and the Russian officials signed a guestbook at the museum.

Official Statements

• Kim Jong Un stated that the fallen soldiers would remain "a symbol of the Korean people's heroism" and support "a victorious march by the Korean and Russian people."
• Kim accused the United States and its allies of pursuing a "hegemonic plot and military adventurism" on the Russia-Ukraine front.
• In a separate meeting with Belousov, Kim pledged full support for Russia's policy of defending its sovereignty and security interests.
• Russia's TASS news agency quoted Belousov as saying Moscow is ready to sign a military cooperation plan with Pyongyang covering 2027-2031.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a letter read by Volodin, said the museum would be "a clear symbol of the friendship and solidarity" between the two countries and pledged to strengthen their "comprehensive strategic partnership."

Putin, in a letter read by Volodin, said the museum would be "a clear symbol of the friendship and solidarity" between the two countries.

Military Cooperation and Casualty Estimates

Belousov and Kim Jong Un agreed to sign a military cooperation plan for 2027-2031. South Korea's intelligence agency estimates that North Korea deployed approximately 15,000 soldiers to the Kursk region. South Korean officials estimate that up to 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the conflict. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has disclosed any official casualty figures.

Background

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, North Korea has shifted its foreign policy alignment toward Moscow. North Korea has reportedly supplied troops and conventional weapons to Russia in exchange for economic support and potentially sensitive technologies.

Officials in South Korea, the United States, and allied countries have expressed concern that Russia could transfer advanced military know-how to Pyongyang, which could enhance its nuclear and missile programs.

Military experts report that North Korean troops initially suffered heavy losses in the Kursk region due to a lack of combat experience and unfamiliarity with the terrain. They later gained battlefield experience and became central to Russia's efforts to overwhelm Ukrainian forces, according to these experts.