Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko stated on Tuesday, Oct. 15, that Russia would provide military assistance to North Korea if it comes under attack, as stipulated in a treaty signed earlier this year.
"If an act of aggression is committed against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, all necessary measures will be taken in accordance with our legislation and that of the DPRK [North Korea]," Rudenko told Russia's TASS news agency. This declaration underscores the growing military collaboration between the two nations.
In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a strategic partnership pact aimed at bolstering military ties. This treaty includes a mutual defense clause, stating that both countries "shall immediately provide military and other assistance" if one faces armed invasion from other states.
This assistance is being framed as legal within the context of Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which grants member states the right to "individual or collective self-defense" in the event of an attack. (Related: North Korean operatives being deployed to help Russia in war against Ukraine.)
"The treaty is signed and public," Rudenko emphasized. "It has Article 4, which specifically addresses mutual assistance in case of aggression against one of the parties."
Rudenko's remarks come amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, as North Korea has issued threats of war against South Korea over alleged drone flights near Pyongyang. In response, South Korea has declared it is "fully ready" to counter any so-called aggression from the North.
Ukrainian intelligence claims North Korean soldiers already on the battlefield
Additionally, Rudenko's comments follow claims by Ukrainian intelligence that North Korean troops are actively fighting in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged that North Korea is sending its citizens to support Russia's military efforts. "We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea," he stated, noting that this collaboration extends beyond mere weapons transfers to include personnel.
Zelensky's assertions are set against the backdrop of the quickly warming relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang, highlighted by Putin's visit to the communist nation back in June that resulted in the military alliance and raised concerns among Western analysts regarding North Korea's potential role in bolstering Russia's military operations in Ukraine.
A source in Ukrainian intelligence, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, reported that a small number of North Koreans have been working alongside the Russian military, primarily in engineering roles and providing expertise on North Korean munitions. Some of these personnel have reportedly been killed in eastern Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations of North Korean personnel aiding Russia as "another hoax." However, South Korea's National Intelligence Service is closely monitoring developments and has indicated that claims of North Korean casualties in Ukraine may hold merit.
South Korean Minister of National Defense Kim Yong Hyun expressed concerns, stating: "It is highly likely that the reported casualties of North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine are true," and added that the potential for further deployments of North Korean regular troops is significant due to the evolving military alliance between Russia and North Korea.
"We will also be well-prepared for this possibility," he noted.
Multiple governments have accused Pyongyang of supplying arms to Moscow for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a claim that both countries have denied despite considerable evidence pointing to arms transfers.
Watch this Oct. 14 episode of "Now The End Begins" discussing the developing military alliance between Russia and North Korea.
This video is from the Rightly Dividing The Word channel on Brighteon.com.
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