North Korea Prioritizes Closer Ties with Russia Over China, Highlighting Russian Delegation at Anniversary Event
During the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, North Korea extended invitations to delegations from both China and Russia, aiming to bolster solidarity against the alliance of the United States, South Korea, and Japan. However, North Korea displayed more attention to the Russian delegation, possibly due to shared interests in facing international sanctions and weapon shortages amid the Ukraine conflict.
Kim Jong-un (on the right), North Korea's leader, engaged in discussions with Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, Russia's Defense Minister, during a dinner at the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) headquarters in Pyongyang on the 27th. - Photo by Korean Central News Agency
North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong-un, Chairman of North Korea, spent significant time with the Russian delegation, led by Defense Minister Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, during their visit. Kim accompanied Shoigu to a "military equipment exhibition" and held a separate meeting in his office with interpreters only. Additionally, Kim engaged in conversations with Shoigu during the night military parade.
The Russian delegation received two grand banquets, and Kim Jong-un personally attended one of them, a notable occurrence during a ministerial-level visit.
The special treatment given to the Russian delegation was apparent in the post-event coverage. The North Korean weekly external publication, Tongil Sinbo, published on the 29th, featured a notable disparity in the number of photos. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu had around 84 photos, while Li Hongzhong, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and leader of the Chinese delegation, had only 30 photos published in the Rodong Sinmun on the 27th and 28th.
On July 26th, Kim Jong-un attended a weapon exhibition in Pyongyang together with Russia's Defense Minister Shoigu. He personally explained the displayed weapons. - Photo by Korean Central News Agency
This growing closeness between North Korea and Russia is seen as a strategic response to nuclear and missile provocations and the Ukraine conflict, aligning both countries against the United States and Western nations.
The day after the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, Kim met with the head of the Chinese delegation dispatched from China on the 28th. - Photo by Korean Central News Agency
On the other hand, China appears to be relatively cautious in its relationship with North Korea, as it also needs to consider its ties with the United States. This caution is evident in the choice of the head of the Chinese delegation. In 2018, they sent Li Zhanshu, who holds a higher position as a Politburo member of the Chinese Communist Party and the Chairman of the National People's Congress. However, this year, they sent a lower-ranking official, reflecting their awareness of the current situation and the delicate balance they must maintain.
As a result, some analyses suggest that North Korea is choosing to strengthen its ties with Russia, which adopts a more confrontational stance against the West, instead of China, which takes a more measured approach amid the US-China competition. There are even speculations that North Korea may engage in more explicit weapon deals and cooperation with Russia while escalating missile provocations targeting the US and its allies.