Kim Jong Un Reaffirms North Korea's Support For Putin In Letter Amid Growing Ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged his “invariable support” for Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing Moscow’s ongoing war against Ukraine as a “sacred” conflict, according to a letter reported by North Korean state media on Tuesday. Kim said North Korea remained firmly committed to supporting Russia and expanding cooperation between the two countries. The letter comes amid growing speculation that Pyongyang could send additional troops to Russia to assist Moscow in its war effort against Ukraine. North Korea has strengthened its relationship with Russia since the invasion began in 2022, developing closer military and economic ties with the Kremlin.

In the letter, Kim said he was convinced that Russia would achieve victory in what he described as a “sacred war” to defend the country’s security interests and international justice. According to the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim promised his “invariable support” to Putin and the Russian people. He also said that North Korea’s government was determined to expand and deepen its joint work with Russia in a comprehensive manner. The language underlined the depth of the political relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow, which has grown significantly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

North Korea has emerged as a significant ally of Russia during the war, with analysts saying Pyongyang has provided military assistance to Moscow in exchange for economic benefits and military technology. The cooperation has raised concerns in South Korea and among Ukraine’s allies over the possibility of an increasingly close military partnership between the two countries. North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia with military resources and has also deployed troops to support the Russian war effort. The scale of its involvement has remained a major focus for intelligence agencies and governments monitoring the conflict and the expanding Russia-North Korea relationship.

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South Korea’s intelligence agency estimated last year that around 2,000 North Korean troops had been killed while participating in the war. A more recent assessment placed the number of North Korean soldiers killed or wounded at approximately 6,000. The figures highlight the human cost of Pyongyang’s involvement in the conflict and have added to concerns over whether North Korea could expand its military deployment. While details surrounding North Korean troop movements remain difficult to independently verify, reports of casualties have reinforced assessments that Pyongyang has already provided substantial manpower to support Russia’s military campaign.

Kim’s latest letter comes as speculation grows that North Korea could send more troops to Russia. Ukraine has also claimed that as many as 50,000 North Korean troops could be deployed to Russia, although Kyiv has not provided evidence to substantiate the figure or specified a timeframe for such a deployment. The claim has nevertheless added to concerns about a possible expansion of North Korean involvement in the war. Any additional deployment could further deepen the military relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow and potentially increase international scrutiny of the two countries’ cooperation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously linked concerns over North Korean military involvement to the wider security situation created by Russia’s attacks. In making the claim about a possible deployment of up to 50,000 North Korean troops, Zelensky also called on South Korea to provide air defence systems to help protect Ukraine from Russian missile attacks. Seoul has not responded positively to that request so far. Meanwhile, Kim’s latest message to Putin signals that North Korea intends to maintain its close alignment with Russia. His pledge to deepen cooperation suggests that the partnership is likely to remain an important factor in the wider geopolitical landscape surrounding the Ukraine war.

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