On Tuesday, the North Korean Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported that North Korea ratified the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia, including a mutual defense agreement, as an outcome of the summit with Russia in June.
The newspaper stated, “The Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation, signed in Pyongyang on June 19, has been ratified by decree of the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission.”
The report added that the North Korean leader signed the decree on Monday and noted that the treaty will take effect once the ratification documents are exchanged between the two countries.
Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty on November 9, following its ratification by the Russian parliament. Kim Jong Un has completed the necessary procedures for officially enacting the new treaty between North Korea and Russia by ratifying and signing the treaty as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission.
Both leaders must exchange their signed ratification documents for the treaty to be formally activated.
North Korea and Russia signed the new treaty during a June summit following President Putin’s visit to Pyongyang. Analysts suggest that this agreement elevates the relationship between the two countries to what amounts to a military alliance by expanding the scope of their military cooperation.
Article 4 of the treaty states, “In the event that either party is placed in a state of war due to an armed attack by one or more countries, the other party shall immediately provide military and other assistance using all available means.” This clause is identified as a provision that could justify North Korean troop deployment to support Russia.”
