Closer Russia-North Korea ties revive bloc politics in North-east Asia

For the countries that see Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (or North Korea) as agents of international disruption, the 

summit meeting between Mr Kim Jong Un and President Vladimir Putin

in Russia in September was alarming. The North Korean leader

promised Mr Putin “full and unconditional support”

for what he called Moscow’s “sacred struggle”, a reference to Russia’s atrocity-laden

invasion of Ukraine.

On Russia’s part, Mr Putin publicly acknowledged he and Mr Kim were in discussions on military cooperation, effectively ending Russia’s decades-old participation in an international regime prohibiting the transfer of weapons technology to North Korea.