Stephen Cho | Coordinator of the Korean International Forum
June 22, 2024
The DPRK-Russia “Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” is essentially an alliance treaty. This treaty between the DPRK and Russia, announced on June 19, 2024, in Pyongyang, represents the highest level of relations between two countries in history, including the one between the DPRK and the former Soviet Union. For instance, Article 4, which stipulates, “In case any one of the two sides is put in a state of war by an armed invasion from an individual state or several states, the other side shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay,” is almost identical to Article 1 of the “Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance” between the DPRK and Russia, signed on July 6, 1961. It is also confirmed by Putin’s remarks at the press conference in Hanoi.
We should note that Russia has now signed the treaty with the DPRK, at a time when the war in East Asia is imminent, at the same level as the Soviet Union signed with the DPRK just before Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The former socialist country, Russia, is taking a step at the level of the Soviet Union, which was the original socialist state and the guiding and leading force during the antifascist war, World War 2. This is particularly significant given that the treaty counterpart DPRK is the most steadfast socialist country and has already fought a war against 16 allied countries including the USA.
In other words, Russia has declared to the world that it is determined to fight imperialism by establishing the highest level of strategic relations, essentially an alliance, with the DPRK, the most steadfast socialist and anti-imperialist country. Also, it has significant meaning because the treaty was signed under conditions where Russia had already seized a clear victory in a two-year war practically against NATO through its special military operation in Ukraine, and where the USA and NATO, panicked by this, have allowed Ukraine to attack the Russian mainland with the weapons they supplied.
Although the USA calls the “ROK” and Japan its allies, the “Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of Korea and the United States” of October 1, 1953, only states that in the event of an armed attack the parties will “consult together” in Article 2. Article 4 of the same treaty states “The Republic of Korea grants, and the United States of America accepts, the right to dispose United States land, air and sea forces in and about the territory of the Republic of Korea,” which demonstrates the true nature of their relationship: imperialist and colony. “The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan” of June 23, 1960, only stipulates in Article 4 that the parties will “consult together,” and in Article 5, in the event of an armed attack “act to meet the common danger”. Therefore, these two treaties fundamentally differ from the DPRK-Russia Treaty on June 19. “North Atlantic Treaty” of April 4, 1949, also only stipulates in Article 4, “consult together” and the Article 5 merely states “consequently they agree … each of them … will assist by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary” in the event of an armed attack. By contrast, this treaty between the DPRK and Russia is not only the highest level among the historic treaties between the two countries, but it is also incomparably stronger than other similar treaties on the planet. It is especially significant given the essential characteristics of the current political situation.
The current world situation can be summarized as “the flames of World War 3 perpetrated by imperialism are spreading from Eastern Europe to Western Asia and then to East Asia.” World War 3 began with Russia’s special military operation in February 2022, has intensified with Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in October 2023 and Iran’s Operation True Promise in April 2024, and will enter full swing when the war in East Asia erupts.
Meanwhile, from the imperialist side, the high probability of Trump’s victory in the US presidential election in November, who will likely hand off from the war in Ukraine if he comes to power, can be a severe unstable factor.
Therefore, in order to make World War 3 an irreversible trend regardless of whether Trump is elected or not, considering that the DPRK and China are keeping patient with “strategic patience” and not entangled in imperialist provocations in East Asia, imperialism seems to change its direction to expand the already ongoing wars in Ukraine and West Asia to promote the flow of World War 3.
These signs have been especially intense since the end of May 2024. In addition to the weapons mentioned above provided to Ukraine to attack the Russian mainland, the imperialists have begun to deploy troops to Ukraine, sharply expanded its arms supply, and even Nato countries, including the USA, have practiced firing tactical nuclear weapons against Russia in war simulations. In West Asia, Israeli Zionism has now reached the stage of deciding on an all-out war against Hezbollah, attacking Rafah at the same time.
Signs of war in East Asia are also surging. The USA has been conducting nuclear war exercises against North Korea by continuously putting strategic assets such as nuclear strategic bombers and nuclear aircraft carrier battle groups in the “ROK.” The USA in particular has been promoting the separatist movement in Taiwan, making the Yoon Suk-yeol government of the “ROK,” the Kishida government of Japan, the Lai Ching-te government of Taiwan, and the Marcos Jr. government of the Philippines the “first island chain” surrounding China. All of these governments are facing plummeting approval ratings due to political and economic crises, forcing them to resort to shocking events such as war as the only way out under the control of their master, the USA.
Above all, Western imperialism, including the USA, is acting strategically to expand NATO, the imperialist aggressors, not only to the North Atlantic but also to the Pacific. It has already established the “Indo-Pacific” policy, which is a step further from the “Pivot to Asia” policy, and formed the “AUKUS” and “QUAD” to form an encirclement that isolates China, the DPRK, and Russia while fiercely conducting various joint war exercises and nuclear war drills to raise a war crisis. The Biden administration’s talk of the “New Washington Consensus” or “de-risking” is just a deception to cover up its war efforts.
In this international situation, the DPRK-Russia relations of comprehensive strategic partnership at the highest level create a major rupture in the imperialist camp’s encirclement. Most importantly, the DPRK has been freed from all sorts of sanctions, and Russia has gained a powerful ally in the Far East. The two countries will jointly develop the Tumen River region, benefiting enormously from exchanges and cooperation in logistics, energy, high-tech industry, and agriculture and from the extensive development of a relatively vulnerable region. Above all, military cooperation between nuclear and missile-armed states with all nuclear weapons and delivery systems will have a synergistic effect and contribute significantly to regional and global peace and stability. In short, this all-round strategic cooperation and alliance, including in the military field, between the two strongest bastions of the anti-imperialist camp in the situation of World War 3 will add significant momentum to the strengthening of anti-imperialist forces, and advance the final victory of the anti-imperialist camp.