Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has prompted a rapid escalation in cooperation between North Korea and Russia, to the point where in October 2024 North Korea was confirmed to have sent troops to assist Russian forces. Such actions show that the North Korea–Russia relationship has moved beyond the merely transactional to become a longer-term strategic and ideological partnership.
This still-developing partnership poses a threat to the international community, by increasing the potential for regional conflict and undermining the current international order. This research paper provides a wake-up call for the US and its partners in northeast Asia and beyond, warning them to take this emerging Kim–Putin axis seriously and recommending a set of actions to prepare for where this dangerous partnership might go next.
