Kim Jong-un reaffirms his unwavering support for Vladimir Putin in the war in Ukraine
Quick Look
- Kim Jong-un sent a personal letter to Vladimir Putin pledging unwavering support for Russia in its “sacred war” against Ukraine, according to North Korean media.
- The statement comes against the backdrop of a defense deal signed in 2024 between Moscow and Pyongyang, and as thousands of North Korean troops have fought alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region.
- Ukrainian President Zelensky has warned of a possible new deployment of 30,000 to 50,000 North Korean troops in Russia, while the Central Bank of South Korea estimates that the North Korean economy grew by more than 3% in 2025 thanks to cooperation with Moscow.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military and economic ties in recent years, notably with a defense agreement signed in 2024. Thousands of North Korean soldiers have already participated in fighting in support of Russia in the Kursk region in 2024-2025.
The romance between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin continues, to the detriment of Ukraine. The leader of North Korea once again confirmed this to the Russian president by writing to him personally.
Kim's letter to his "dear friend" Putin
In his letter, the North Korean leader pledges his “unwavering support” to Russia in its “sacred war” against kyiv, Pyongyang’s official media reported on Tuesday.
“Firmly convinced of the victory of the Russian Federation in this holy war to defend the security interests of the country and international justice, I pledge my unwavering support to you, my dear friend, and to the brotherly Russian people,” Kim Jong-un wrote, according to the state agency KCNA. “My will and that of the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are firm and beyond a shadow of a doubt: we want to comprehensively expand and deepen joint work with the Russian Federation.”
Moscow and Pyongyang reached a defense agreement in 2024, and thousands of North Korean troops participated in fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in 2024-2025.
New alert from Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in August that North Korea planned to again deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 soldiers on Russian soil – without specifying where he got these figures from – and that it had supplied ballistic missiles to the Russian army.
In South Korea, the Central Bank for its part estimated in July that North Korea's economy had grown by more than 3% in 2025, citing as an "important driver" cooperation with Moscow which brings the country foreign currencies, military technologies and significant financial, energy and food aid.
Our articles on the War in Ukraine
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Russia could receive a new deployment of North Korean soldiers in 2025-2026
Possible · Within months
Economic cooperation between North Korea and Russia could strengthen further in 2025
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What are the exact sources for Zelensky's claims regarding the deployment of 30,000 to 50,000 North Korean troops?
- What types of ballistic missiles has North Korea supplied to Russia?
- In which specific sectors will the North Korean economy grow by more than 3% in 2025?
