North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has come out in defense of his nation’s military role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling it an exercise of sovereign rights in favor of a “brother nation,” state-run KCNA reported on Saturday.
“Our mission in the conflict is legitimate and fully within the sovereign prerogatives of our Republic,” Kim said. He lauded North Korean soldiers who participated in the so-called Kursk mission, labeling them “heroes and proud symbols of the nation’s honour.”
Kim also sent a warning shot to the United States, saying Pyongyang would use military force if Washington persisted in its “provocations” against Russia.
North Korea has previously denied being directly involved in the war in Ukraine but acknowledged late last month that it sent more than 10,000 soldiers and weaponry to Russia. The heightened military cooperation comes amid a strategic cooperation agreement inked by Kim with Russian President Vladimir Putin a year ago that immensely consolidated ties between the two countries.
Experts see Pyongyang’s public endorsement of Moscow as a daring change of direction in the region, particularly amid heightened tension with the US and its allies against military presence and influence in East Asia.
