Moscow will provide military support if North Korea is attacked

"If the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is faced with an act of aggression, all necessary measures will be taken in accordance with our laws and the laws of the DPRK," Andrey Rudenko told TASS on October 15. The provisions to that effect are contained in the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, which has been submitted to the State Duma for ratification, Deputy Minister Rudenko said.

“The treaty says it all with Article three, Article four. The treaty has been signed, so it is public,” he added. According to Mr. Rudenko, Article 4 deals precisely with the issue of mutual assistance in case of aggression. Article 4 stipulates that if one of the two countries is invaded, the other will provide all necessary assistance, including military assistance.

The Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and the DPRK was signed in Pyongyang on June 19. According to the Treaty, the two sides are based on the principles of mutual respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and other principles of international law related to friendly relations and cooperation between states.

According to the memorandum of understanding of the treaty, the two countries aim to establish global strategic stability and a fair multipolar international system.

The Treaty provides that in the event of an imminent threat of armed aggression against one of the Parties, the other Party shall, upon request, immediately initiate bilateral channels for consultations in order to coordinate their positions and agree on possible practical measures to assist each other in eliminating the threat. In the event that either Party is attacked by a State or States and thus finds itself in a state of war, the other Party shall immediately provide military and other assistance in all possible ways, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with the laws of Russia and the DPRK.

In another development, Yonhap news agency quoted the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying that on the morning of October 15, North Korea blew up part of the roads connecting it to South Korea. Previously, Pyongyang had announced that it would cut off the roads and railways that were considered symbols of inter-Korean cooperation.

"North Korea detonated a part of the Gyeongui and Donghae roads north of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) around noon on October 15," the JCS said in a statement.

The JCS has now stepped up surveillance activities and raised combat readiness to deal with any unexpected situations.

The Gyeongui and Donghae roads were built during the period of reconciliation between the two Koreas in the mid-2000s. However, in recent years they have not been in operation due to the strained relations between the two countries.

The Gyeongui line was last used when South Korean officials withdrew from the joint liaison office in Kaesong in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the Donghae line has not been used since the 2019 summit between then-US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.