North Korean leader Kim Jong-un opted not to attend Moscow for Russia’s 80th Victory Day anniversary of World War II. Instead, he made a visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang to reinforce the “unbreakable alliance” between North Korea and Russia. During this visit, Kim justified North Korea’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, suggesting that if left unchecked, even Seoul’s military might follow suit.
According to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification, Kim’s visit to the Russian Embassy was the first since he came to power in 2012. He emphasized the firm position of North Korea’s party, government, and people in continually strengthening this alliance built on a long-standing tradition and a noble ideological foundation.
Kim stated that he shared his commitment to fulfilling treaty obligations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and issued orders for operations against Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and the liberation of the Kursk region. He warned that leaving Ukrainian puppets unchecked would embolden them, potentially prompting Seoul’s military, as a key US ally, to mimic this recklessness.
Accompanying Kim were his daughter Ju-ae and several high-ranking officials from the Workers’ Party of Korea and military. North Korean media referred to Ju-ae as “the most beloved daughter.”
While there were expectations that Kim or the second highest-ranking official, Choe Ryong-hae, would attend the Victory Day in Moscow, North Korea’s ambassador to Russia, Shin Hong-chol, represented the country instead. This visit to the embassy is seen as an effort by Kim to maintain strong bilateral relations and align with Russia despite not attending in person.
The Ministry of Unification noted that despite Russia’s continuous invitations for high-level participation, Kim’s embassy visit served both to honor Russia and emphasize strengthening North Korea-Russia ties. Observers are keeping an eye on potential future summits or meetings, particularly the possibility of direct talks between Kim and Putin during significant anniversaries or forums later in the year.