The North Korea-Russia Treaty on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed on June 19, 2024, and solidified after negotiations in September 2023, signals a new phase of military, economic, and technological alignment between North Korea and Russia. The partnership ensures North Korea supplies Russia with artillery shells, rockets, and ammunition while Russia assists North Korea in advancing its satellite, space, and nuclear technology. Both countries aim to counter U.S. influence across the Indo-Pacific and European regions, as North Korea bolsters its military arsenal and Russia secures munitions for the prolonged war in Ukraine.
Gun Clips
On June 20, North Korean state media published the treaty’s text, which Kim Jong-un called an “alliance.” One essential clause, according to Reuters, states that both nations are to “immediately provide military and other assistance using all available means if either side is in a state of war, in line with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, which covers the individual or collective right of states to self-defense against armed attack.” [1] “Experts estimate that North Korea sent approximately 3 million artillery shells to Russia from September 2023 to September 2024, covering nearly half of all shells fired at Ukraine.” [2] “This demand has driven North Korea to increase weapons production, reportedly shipping “at least 16,500 containers of munitions and related materiel to Russia since September last year, and Russia had launched more than 65 of those missiles at targets in Ukraine.” [3]
Money Clips
North Korea’s assistance has a clear economic motive. As one of the most secretive nations, North Korea’s economy is notoriously challenging to gauge. A decade old estimate from the CIA World Factbook put its 2015 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at around $40 billion, with approximately 33% dedicated to military expenditures. [4] To put this into grim economic perspective, the state of Wyoming’s 2023 GDP was $39.32 billion. [5] Wyoming’s population is the lowest in the U.S., at 575,000 people. North Korea’s population is believed to be somewhere around 24 million people.
This partnership not only provides North Korea with desperately needed revenue but also secures essential military supplies for Russia at discounted rates. Vladimir Putin’s motives remain self-serving as always, and he views the alliance as a means to sustain his agenda. Meanwhile, North Korea benefits financially, while also allowing Kim Jong-un to strengthen his military and, potentially, his nuclear program.
Recent reports reveal North Korea’s missile technology is being used in active Ukrainian conflict zones. For instance, debris found in Kharkiv after a January 2, 2024, missile strike has been identified as a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile, according to U.N. monitors. [6] This is significant: North Korea, an impoverished state, has managed to keep its military operations alive through its economy’s single-minded focus on armament and self-defense. For Kim, the alliance with Russia not only offers a financial boost but also a direct channel for testing his weapons in real combat situations.
More concerning, however, is the alignment of North Korea, Russia, and China, not to mention the Iranian and Russian alliance. North Korea, Russia, and China each possess nuclear capabilities and a shared interest in countering Western influence. Adding Iran to the equation— another state nearing nuclear capability—creates a formidable bloc of potential adversaries. If North Korea profits from its partnership with Russia, it is unlikely to channel that revenue toward humanitarian efforts. The logical assumption is that Kim will expand his nuclear weapons program. This ensures his authoritarian regime remains fortified, despite the limited economic opportunities available to the general population. Kim may not have immediate plans to launch these weapons, but the expanded arsenal provides significant leverage in negotiations, particularly with the U.S.
With escalating conflicts worldwide—including instability in the Middle East, North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine, China’s aspirations for Taiwan, and other rising tensions—global risks are mounting to levels not seen since World War II. Although the prospect of World War III may be slim, it is an unsettling possibility that must be taken seriously. Should such a conflict emerge, it would have catastrophic global implications, potentially affecting up to 70% of the world’s population. In this volatile geopolitical climate, strong and strategic U.S. leadership is essential.
[1] Hyonhee Shin. “Key points of North Korea, Russia landmark strategic partnership treaty” (article, June 19, 2024), https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/key-points-north-korea-russia-landmark-strategic-partnership-treaty-2024-06-20/ ( last accessed October 28, 2024)
[2] Michael Lee. “North Korean army officers reportedly killed in Ukrainian missile strike near Donetsk.” October 6, 2024. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-10-06/national/northKorea/North-Korean-army-officers-reportedly-killed-in-Ukrainian-missile-strike-near-Donetsk-/2149043 (article, last accessed October 28, 2024).
[3] Josh Smith. “North Korean weapons extending Russian stockpiles, German general says” Reuters. (article, September 9, 2024). https://www.reuters.com/world/north-korean-weapons-extending-russian-stockpiles-german-general-says-2024-09-09/ (last accessed October 28, 2024).
[4] CIA. The World Factbook. “Korea, North.” https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/korea-north/#economy (last accessed October 28, 2024).
[5] Statista. Real gross domestic product of Wyoming from 2000-2023. (article, July 5. 2024), https://www.statista.com/statistics/188152/gdp-of-the-us-federal-state-of-wyoming-since-1997/ (last accessed October 28, 2024).
[6] Al Jazeera. UN Monitors say North Korean missile struck Ukraine’s Kharkiv. April 30, 2024. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/30/un-monitors-say-north-korean-missile-struck-ukraines-kharkiv (last accessed October 28, 2024).
