A senior Russian security official met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Friday to thank him for North Korea’s support of Russia’s efforts in the war in Ukraine, according to Russian state media.
The meeting followed a report from South Korea’s spy agency in late February, which indicated that North Korea might have sent additional troops to Russia after heavy casualties were reported among their forces fighting in the war.
Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, expressed Russia’s gratitude to Kim for North Korea’s alignment with Russia on crucial geopolitical matters, particularly regarding Ukraine. Shoigu also delivered a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who extended his greetings and emphasized Russia’s commitment to implementing agreements made during their recent summits.
Interfax, another Russian news agency, reported that Sergei Shoigu discussed several topics with Kim Jong Un, including Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, Moscow’s communications with the Trump administration, and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Sergei Shoigu’s visit comes after Ukraine and Russia reached a preliminary agreement on Wednesday for a limited ceasefire, following discussions between President Donald Trump and the leaders of both nations. However, it remains uncertain when the ceasefire will begin and which targets may be off-limits for attacks.
North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA, confirmed the arrival of the Russian delegation led by Shoigu, but did not provide specific details about the purpose of their visit.
North Korea has been supplying Russia with a large quantity of conventional weapons and, last fall, reportedly sent between 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia, according to intelligence sources from the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, in a statement on February 27, indicated it was investigating the exact number of additional troops North Korea had deployed. South Korean media estimates suggest between 1,000 and 3,000 newly deployed North Korean soldiers.
South Korea, the U.S., and other nations believe North Korea is receiving economic and military support from Russia in exchange for providing weapons and troops. Many experts suggest that North Korea is likely to increase its assistance to Russia to maximize the benefits it can gain from Russia before the war concludes.
Some analysts speculate that Shoigu’s visit may be linked to preparations for a possible visit by Kim to Russia. In June 2024, President Putin visited Pyongyang, where he signed a significant mutual defense treaty with Kim and extended an invitation for Kim to visit Moscow.
In 2023, Shoigu, who was Russia’s defense minister at the time, visited North Korea and was given a personal tour of a North Korean arms exhibition, which some critics viewed as an attempt to promote sales. In September 2024, Shoigu, now holding a position on the Russian Security Council, visited North Korea once again to meet with Kim, and the two reportedly discussed expanding their cooperation, according to North Korean state media.
On Friday, North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-launch of new anti-aircraft missiles the day before. Kim described the missiles as “another major defense weapons system” for North Korea.
This missile test marked North Korea’s sixth weapons test of the year. It took place on the same day that the U.S. and South Korean militaries wrapped up their annual training, known as the Freedom Shield exercise, which North Korea views as a preparation for invasion. The 11-day training was the first major joint military exercise between the two allies since President Trump’s inauguration.
North Korea frequently responds to large U.S.-South Korean military drills with its own missile tests and strong rhetoric. Just hours after the start of this year’s Freedom Shield training on March 10, North Korea launched several ballistic missiles into the sea.
