North Korea-Russia Relations Deepen: Kim's New Year Message To Putin

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The bond between North Korea and Russia is getting thicker day by day. According to reports from North Korean media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressed hope that this relationship would be further cemented. The letter he wrote on the occasion of New Year emphasized Kim's commitment to fostering deeper ties with Moscow.

In the message, Kim also expressed New Year greetings to President Putin and to the people of Russia as well as that country's armed forces. Kim said that North Korea aims to make its relationship with Russia a comprehensive strategic one; he wished victory for Russia's army and people for the next several years through a fight against neo-Nazism.

Major Contects in 2023

The year was a landmark for bilateral relations between the two nations. Kim Jong Un made a visit to Moscow, and President Putin responded by making a historic visit to North Korea, which was the first by a Russian leader in 24 years. During these exchanges, the two countries signed many agreements, including a pivotal defense pact to support each other in case of external aggression.

Kim has always been with the Russians in the present ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Sources show that North Korea has engaged nearly 10,000 soldiers to serve along with Russian forces on the battlefields. Despite undergoing technical training in Moscow, troops are said to still experience language barriers as an unfortunate result of a conflict when they engage forces in Ukraine.

Concerns by West

The Russia-North Korea alliance has seen much concern and focus on the Western world. More importantly, however, the nature of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia seems to be a strategic turn with far more geopolitical ramification.