In a significant development in international relations, senior military officials from North Korea and Russia convened in Pyongyang this week to discuss enhanced cooperation, as reported by North Korean state media on Friday. The talks, led by North Korea’s Pak Yong Il, vice director of the Korean People’s Army’s General Political Bureau, and Russia’s Vice Defense Minister Viktor Goremykin, focused on deepening bilateral ties under the leadership of Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. While no specific agreements were disclosed, the discussions underscored the growing alignment between the two nations, particularly in the context of Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This meeting follows recent intelligence from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, which indicated potential recruitment and training activities in North Korea, possibly for additional troop deployments to Russia. South Korean officials, including Unification Ministry spokesperson Chang Yoon-jeong, have refrained from speculating on the exact nature of these discussions but are closely monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent visit to South Korea highlighted the strengthening of U.S.-South Korea security ties, with praise for South Korea’s plans to increase military spending in response to regional threats, including those posed by North Korea. According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has already sent approximately 15,000 troops and significant military equipment to Russia since last fall, with further deployments of military construction workers and deminers expected.
North Korean and Russian military officials discuss further cooperation in Pyongyang
