New Treaty Could Mean North Korea Sends Even More Troops to Fight in Ukraine – Here’s Why

North Korea and Russia have enacted a treaty that mandates immediate military support in the event of mutual conflict. This development suggests that North Korea may officially announce the deployment of its troops to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by year’s end.

North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun reported Thursday that the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations took effect Wednesday after ratification documents were exchanged in Moscow. The agreement replaces a previous treaty on friendship and cooperation signed in 2000.

North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kyung Kyu and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko signed the ratification protocol. According to Rodong Sinmun, the treaty establishes a “legal framework” for elevating bilateral ties to a strategic level. It is a tool for achieving both countries’ leaders’ “grand vision” to build powerful nations and safeguard global security.

The treaty also outlines ambitious goals, such as promoting mutual welfare, easing regional tensions, and fostering a multipolar world order free from domination and hegemony.

However, Article 4 of the treaty has drawn significant attention. It mandates that if either country faces a military invasion or enters a state of war, the other must provide immediate military support. This clause could allow North Korea to publicly confirm troop deployments to the Ukraine war—a move it has so far denied but hinted at indirectly.

At a UN Security Council meeting last month, North Korean Ambassador Kim Song appeared to allude to this obligation, stating, “North Korea faithfully adheres to its obligations under the North Korea-Russia treaty,” in response to questions about troop involvement.

North Korea’s upcoming plenary meeting, scheduled for the end of the year, is expected to attract global attention. These meetings often serve as a platform for Kim Jong Un to announce major policies. Analysts speculate that he may use the occasion to officially acknowledge North Korean troop deployments under the treaty’s framework.