Link to article: https://www.arise.tv/north-koreas-kim-vows-full-support-for-russia-amid-partnership-talks-with-putin/
In this article about North Korea and Russia’s relations, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un committed to fully supporting Russia in their war with Ukraine. Last week at a military parade in Beijing, Kim and Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, scheduled a meeting where they also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kim and Putin discussed both international and regional issues as well as Putin expressing his gratitude towards the North Korean soldiers who have assisted Russia while fighting Ukraine. As 2,000 North Korean soldiers have perished in combat, Kim discussed more companionship with Putin and will be sending 6,000 more soldiers over to Moscow, hence their mutual defence treaty they previously signed last year.
After reading this article, I have developed more of an understanding on what is going on around the eastern side of the world. As I know what is currently going on in Ukraine, learning more information on Russia’s side of the war was interesting to me. Russia has had a partnership with North Korea for over a year now and they seem to be going strong. But why is North Korea helping Russia? What’s in it for them? After doing further research on their alliance, North Korea is supporting Russia in their war with Ukraine because they are relying on resources, food, and advanced military technology.
Putin and Kim seem to hold a connection between their countries as Putin described their relationship as “special ones of trust, friendship and alliance”, as stated in the article. Although Kim is losing a lot of his soldiers to fighting in Ukraine, he needs this agreement in order to get what he needs for his country. And vise versa, as Putin is desperate for support in the war, he will supply Kim and North Korea with the resources they need.
This current event connects to class because it is focused around an alliance between two countries/states who are negotiating for what they need. This is referred to as an interstate event.