Russian security Council Secretary in talks with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

Moscow’s top security official, Sergei Shoigu, arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, for high-level talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to reports from Russian media.

Online media reports say that Shoigu, who serves as the Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, was sent on the mission by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as confirmed by the state-run news agency TASS.

Another Russian outlet, RIA Novosti, noted that the discussions are expected to cover current international issues, including the ongoing conflict surrounding Ukraine.

This marks Shoigu’s second visit to Pyongyang in under three months, reflecting the increasingly close relationship between Russia and North Korea.

Over recent years, ties between the two nations have significantly strengthened.

This comes with North Korea providing military support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Pyongyang has openly defended this cooperation, asserting that their military partnership aims to promote “peace and stability” across Europe and Asia.

Reports from South Korea indicate that around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed in action.

This was supposedly while fighting alongside Russian forces, with thousands more wounded.

These figures come from South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, who cited intelligence sources from his country.

The military alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang has deepened in the past years.

It has supposedly culminated in a comprehensive defense agreement signed last year during a rare visit by President Putin to the nuclear-armed North Korean regime.

During his previous visit to Pyongyang in March, Shoigu praised the military deal, describing it as “fully meeting the interests of both countries.”

Since 2022, Russia and North Korea have expanded both their economic and military cooperation.

The mutual defense treaty, signed in November, formally commits both nations to support each other in the event of external threats.

It further solidifies their partnership amid rising global tensions.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops to bolster Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine.

Reports reveal that approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed last year, with an additional 3,000 troops sent this year.

These forces played a key role in Russia’s counteroffensive in the Kursk region, located in western Russia near the Ukrainian border.

In August of the previous year, Ukrainian troops launched a surprise incursion into Kursk but suffered heavy losses.

This was due to North Korean-backed Russian forces successfully repelling the attack.

In addition to personnel, North Korea has become a vital supplier of military equipment to Russia’s war effort.

Between August 2023 and March 2025, at least 64 shipments of military goods were identified as being sent from North Korea to Russia.

These shipments included over 15,800 containers carrying an estimated 4.2 to 5.8 million rounds of ammunition.

The weapons supplied were diverse and substantial.

They reportedly featured short-range ballistic missiles, 170mm self-propelled howitzers, and approximately 220 units of 240mm multiple rocket launch systems.

Pyongyang has consistently defended its military support for Russia.

It insists that the partnership is designed to maintain stability and peace across both Europe and Asia.

This rhetoric aims to frame their cooperation as a defensive and stabilizing force rather than an aggressive alliance.

This is despite widespread international concern over the escalation of the Ukraine conflict and North Korea’s controversial role.

Overall, Shoigu’s visit to Pyongyang underscores the ongoing and growing strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea.

The two countries have moved beyond simple diplomatic ties.

They are reportedly engaging in deep military collaboration that has significant implications for regional and global security.

With both nations facing international sanctions and diplomatic isolation, their alliance serves as a counterweight to Western influence and signals a shift in the geopolitical landscape.

The collaboration involves not only the exchange of troops and arms but also a mutual defense agreement that commits each country to protect the other if attacked.

This has drawn considerable attention given North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.

It has also drawn attention to Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine, raising concerns about the potential for further destabilization.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, and as global tensions rise, the evolving relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang remains a critical factor in international security discussions.

Shoigu’s latest trip highlights Russia’s intent to maintain and possibly expand its cooperation with North Korea.

He is supposedly seeking to reinforce a strategic partnership that challenges Western interests and reshapes alliances in Eurasia.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook