In the summer of 2024, Putin ran to Pyongyang to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, which clearly wrote the terms of military aid, who thought it would be really useful in a few months.In August, the Ukrainian army invaded Kursk, the Russian mainland was beaten, North Korea responded, and began to deploy generals there at the end of August.
At first, there were about 10,000 engineers and combat troops, helping to dig trenches and fill positions. By January 2025, Ukrainian President Zelensky publicly stated that he had captured two North Korean soldiers, one born in 1999. One was in 2005, and now I can't hide it.
On April 26, Russian Chief of General Staff Gerasimov reported directly to the Kremlin that North Korean troops had been of great help, and North Korean officials also admitted that the People's Army had participated in the operation to recover Kursk. This move is urgent, but it is also prepared for any danger. The treaty is confidence. North Korea feels that this is fulfilling its international obligations and can also exchange some practical benefits.
Russia, sadness is not enough, the casualties are too big, the Western sanctions round after round, Putin needs allies to share firepower, but also have to give NATO a look at the color. North Korea this army, not only is to send people to the battlefield so simple, it has reconciled the whole Russian conflict pattern, the battlefield in Europe has more Asian faces, the smell of firepowder in Northeast Asia has also intensified.
North Korea's trump cards and calculations for sending troops
In the past few years, North Korea has been a bad day, economic sanctions have to die, food energy has to be carefully calculated, military nuclear missile projects have to be in the bottleneck of technology, security in the United States and South Korea daily exercises, pressure is great. in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict for three years, Russia urgently needs help, North Korea has a chance, Putin's visit to the DPRK in June 2024, and the matter is settled.
The core of the treaty is the mutual assistance clause. One party is beaten and the other party has to help. This time, Ukraine entered Kursk and Russia lost its territory. North Korea directly activated the clause and sent troops to the country. The scale is not a small fight. Intelligence said that the first batch of more than 10,000 people, including special forces and engineers, arrived one after another in October to help Russia stabilize its position.
By the summer of 2025, North Korea has added twenty-five thousand, intending to put together thirty thousand numbers, and there are even reports that there are hundreds of thousands, which are not mercenaries, but regular armies, wearing people's military costumes, carrying their own equipment.
Why do you do this? To put it bluntly, Russia has exactly what North Korea needs. Energy assistance came first, with oil and natural gas transported directly to the border to alleviate domestic shortages; food also followed. The wheat and soybeans produced in Russia's black soil were enough to fill North Korea's stomach.
Military technology is more crucial, North Korea's missile overall card is in the accuracy of the engine, Russia has ready-made high-speed and intercontinental ballistic technology, exchange conditions are likely to include these, North Korea's nuclear submarine projects can also borrow.
Actual combat experience is an extra bonus. The North Korean army has not fought with real swords and guns for decades. This time, it went to the front line in Ukraine to compete with NATO equipment, learn tactics, practice coordination, and be able to upgrade its own military strength when it comes back.
Russia has also earned, the North Korean soldiers strict discipline, strong execution, boosted morale in the local battlefield in Kursk, and also internationalized the conflict, and Putin used this to retaliate against the Western "isolation of Russia" trick. South Korean intelligence agencies estimated that by October, the North Korean troops were killed at least two thousand, this number sounds terrifying, but for North Korea, the value of aid returned to the ticket price.
Kim Jong-un has been in power for more than ten years and has been gambling on the national destiny. This time, sending troops is a big gamble. He wins technology and energy, and loses, he also draws closer to Russia, at least gaining a firm foothold in Northeast Asia. The risk of this move is not small. North Korea's economy is already fragile, and sending troops has to spend money to support people.
International trouble, the United States directly shouted it was a nuclear proliferation provocation, South Korea was panicked, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the Russian ambassador every day and protested. NATO meeting to discuss, Secretary-General Luther said this case doubled the risk of war out of control, must be prepared for the worst intention.
North Korea is not looking for a temporary limelight, but a long-term break. The technology provided by Russia can allow missiles to have a longer range and higher precision, giving them one more chip to deter the United States and South Korea. The photo of the two shaking hands during Putin's visit to North Korea is still being taken out to talk about things, proving that this alliance is not just a matter of lip service.
The real tug-of-war and cost on the front line
Kursk was originally Russia's backyard. In August, Ukraine raided and advanced dozens of kilometers. Russia was caught off guard. North Korean troops arrived at the end of August and started with engineers to repair bridges, repair roads, dig trenches, and stabilize the defense line. Since October, combat troops have gone into battle to help Russia fight back. Intelligence said that they performed well in local battles, had good discipline, and were not afraid of death. Russian officers praised them for their speed in executing orders.
In January 2025, the two prisoners were caught by the Ukrainian patrol, after the interrogation Zelensky video published, looks not like Slavs, a Korean speaking Russian, iron certificate like a mountain. This, North Korea could not hide, April 26, Russia first acknowledged the account, General Staff Chief Glazimov to Putin, said the North Korean comrades contributed huge, the North Korean agency followed the letter, acknowledging the people's army completed the task.
The battlefield is really not a play, Ukraine using drones and long-range artillery bombing, North Korean soldiers have to adapt to NATO tactics, the number of casualties to the summer has exceeded four thousand, South Korean intelligence says the death and injury ratio is high, because the equipment is backward, facing the Western missile defense is unbeatable.
Russia’s return is not thin, aid fleet sources are continuous, energy food comes first, technology transfer tracks, missile components and nuclear-related parts are said to have been assembled in the laboratory. In August, North Korean officers returned home, Pyongyang airport squads welcomed, media that they brought back hands-on experience, and the military training textbooks had been revised.
This wave of North Korea's operations tested the weakness of the military in actual combat. After returning, the military parade was held in a grand manner. The new intercontinental missile was displayed. Representatives of Russia and China both went, and the flags flew side by side. The battle continues. North Korean troops focus on Kursk and do not go deep into Ukraine. However, this is enough to disrupt the situation. More than 3,000 Western missiles to aid Ukraine have been sold, and the conflict has not yet ended.
This is not the first time that North Korea has sent troops. It joined forces with the Soviet Union during the Korean War, but this time after seventy years, the background has changed and the stakes are even bigger. Russia uses North Korean soldiers to top the gap and save its own manpower. Putin urgently needs to stabilize the domestic support rate, and the number of casualties can't be hidden.
As for North Korea, it has learned the weaknesses of NATO and can be used when something happens on the peninsula in the future. South Korea is the most urgent. His bitter enemy went to Europe for leveling, and it was even more difficult to come back. When President Lee Jae-myung visited the United States, he went straight to this matter and reported information for assistance. The logic of North Korea's sending troops is simple, survival comes first, technology and energy for life. History will say whether it is worth it or not, but at present, Pyongyang does have more chips.
The choice between the international rebound and China
In May, Defense Secretary Austin told the press conference that it was a provocation of the global nuclear system, and that intelligence showed that Russia had to exchange nuclear technology for the DPRK, the North-East Asian balance was to be broken.The U.S. government strengthened surveillance, satellites looked at the border, sanctions on North Korea increased, and financial blockade was tightened.
South Korea's reaction became even more fierce. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador and protested to stop cooperation. The Intelligence Agency issued reports every day, estimating that the total number of North Korean troops exceeded 30,000 and the casualties exceeded 2,000. At the NATO emergency meeting in Brussels, Rutte knocked on the table and said that the war was about to get out of control and the worst-case plan had to be prepared. Member states discussed reinforcing Ukraine, and 3,350 missile aid items were approved.
China's wisdom lies in its impartiality, emphasizing peace, opposing escalation, and not endorsing or isolating it.
In the long run, this is a test of strength, North Korea exchanges technology, Russia shares pressure, but the global supply chain is turbulent, oil prices follow. conflict is in a new phase, the negotiating table has more codes, Russia is reluctant to make concessions, Ukraine asks for emergency aid, China pushes for dialogue, the road is still long.