North Korea, Russia show deepening security alignment
North Korea’s State Intelligence Service Director Ri Chang-dae visited Russia to reaffirm military support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine and criticize international nuclear double standards, while Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui declared a de facto alliance with Russia at a memorial ceremony in Pyongyang. Both countries are expanding cooperation in security, intelligence, and economic sectors, with North Korea prioritizing ties with Russia over U.S. diplomacy.
North Korea and Russia are strengthening their strategic partnership, with Pyongyang openly backing Moscow’s war in Ukraine and resisting international pressure on its nuclear program. Ri Chang-dae, director of North Korea’s State Intelligence Service, attended a security meeting in Russia on May 26, his first public appearance in the role, where he called for bolstering self-defense capabilities and condemned what he described as ‘double standards’ in global politics. Ri also met with Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s Security Council secretary, to discuss closer cooperation between the two nations’ intelligence and security agencies. The visit followed a May 30 ceremony at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, where North Korean officials honored Aleksandr Matsegora, Russia’s late ambassador to North Korea. Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui stated that the two countries ‘share a common position on all strategic issues,’ calling their alignment ‘the level of an alliance,’ according to Russia’s Tass news agency. North Korea’s economic delegation, led by External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong-ho, departed Pyongyang on May 27 for events in Belarus and Russia, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026, signaling expanded cooperation beyond military ties. Analyst Kwak Gil-sup, a former North Korea expert at South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, noted that Kim Jong Un has made Russia his top diplomatic priority, pushing U.S. relations down the agenda. Ri’s visit may also address North Korean workers and personnel in Russia, including efforts to curb defections. The deepening partnership comes as the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference ended in deadlock on May 22, amid rising nuclear risks. North Korea’s state media emphasized its ‘full support’ for Russia’s military efforts to defend its ‘sovereign rights and security interests.’
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