Russia signs comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with North Korea, what does it include?

Russia entered into a strategic partnership with North Korea after President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty into law between the two countries. The partnership, resulting from the treaty in June 2024, would include a mutual defence provision, reported Reuters, citing a decree published on Saturday. 

The development comes nearly five months after Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an accord after a summit in Pyongyang. According to the summit, the two nations can call for each other's aid in case of an armed attack. 

Russia's upper house ratified the treaty this week, while the lower house endorsed it last month. The treaty is likely to come into effect as Putin signed a decree on that ratification that appeared on Saturday on a government website outlining legislative procedures.

What does the treaty between North Korea and Russia include?

Russia hasn't clearly mentioned all the aspects of the treaty with North Korea. The Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations will replace the 961 and 2000 treaties and the 2000 and 2001 Moscow and Pyongyang declarations, according to Observers Research Foundation.

The treaty extends to a wider area of cooperation between the two, including mutual security guarantees in the event of an attack, increasing the threat perceptions in Northeast Asia, etc. The treaty is also expected to promote the expansion and development of cooperation in trade and economic, investment, scientific and technological fields.

'Unambiguous': Kremlin on its mutual defence agreement with North Korea

Months after signing the agreement, Russia has avoided commenting on the clause of mutual defence agreement in the treaty. While addressing the media in October this year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the treaty “implies truly strategic deep cooperation in all areas, including security”, reported Reuters. 

On being asked if this meant that Russia could be drawn into backing Pyongyang in a conflict on the Korean peninsula or that North Korea could side with Russia in a conflict with the West, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the treaty wording was "quite unambiguous" and needed no clarification.