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Russian Defense Minister’s Visit to North Korea: Key Statements

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea for an official visit on November 29. His previous visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was in June, when President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Andrei Belousov, Russia’s defense chief, has held a number of bilateral meetings with North Korea's military and political leadership during his visit to the country.

Highlights From Belousov’s Meeting With Kim Jong-un:

Ratification of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and North Korea reaffirms their commitment to the extensive development of allied relations, Belousov said.

Kim Jong-un denounced Ukraine’s strikes inside Russian territory using Western long-range weapons as "direct military intervention in the conflict."

Russia’s recent retaliatory strike on Ukraine was described as a "timely and effective measure" to warn the US, West, and Ukraine of "the seriousness of the situation and Russia's willingness for harsh countermeasures," KCNA reported.

Highlights From Belousov’s Meeting with the North Korean Defense Minister:

Talks "will serve to further strengthen the Russian-Korean strategic partnership in the field of defense," Belousov said.

"Currently, the military departments of both countries are actively engaging in exchanges and cooperation, including high-level delegation visits," North Korea’s defense minister said, adding that the bilateral cooperation between the militaries is a top priority.

North Korea supports Russia's military operation in Ukraine which is a "just struggle to protect the country's sovereign rights and security interests," the North Korean Defense Minister said, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).