Overview

• Moscow revived a Cold War-era mutual defense treaty with Pyongyang in late 2023, sending fuel, food, military materials and advanced weapons technology to North Korea.
• North Korea’s conventional arms industry has surged in response to Russia’s demand for artillery shells and missiles, enabling the introduction of AI-directed attack drones, electronic-warfare tanks and upgraded air-defense systems.
• In April, Kim Jong Un presided over the launch of the Choe Hyon destroyer and its test-firing of a supersonic cruise missile resembling Russia’s 3M22 Zircon.
• About 15,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region near Ukraine’s border to gain combat experience alongside Russian forces.
• The UN Security Council has condemned the transfers as violations of multiple resolutions, warning that the alliance allows North Korea to bypass sanctions and pursue projects such as a nuclear-powered submarine.