Investigation
Many experts are questioning whether North Korea could offer assistance to Russia due to the countries having a range of overlapping political and economic interests. As a closed society, North Korea is largely seen as a mystery, a country cut off from the rest of the world, a place that remains enigmatic. Understanding the Kim family’s intentions and ambitions is a difficult endeavor, and most of the country’s activities remain “dark”. Analyzing if and how the nation would offer assistance to Russia is a complex proposition considering their relatively small population, severe economic constraints, and nuclear capabilities.
Reports indicate North Korea has had an up and down relationship with Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. While North Korea has maintained contractual obligations to Russia they have still occasionally adopted a confrontational attitude with the country. This relationship has deteriorated over the years, largely due to North Korea’s pursuit of its nuclear weapons program, and has led many experts to speculate on whether North Korea could be of any use to Russia.
The first point of consideration when thinking of the potential of North Korea helping Russia is the economic aspect. Although Russia is an industrialized country, Russia possesses far fewer economic resources than North Korea which is one of the reasons why Russia is often looking for investment to help modernize its economy. North Korea has become increasingly important for Russia as a source of goods and services, it has been said that Russia has been actively trying to find investments in North Korea for its own interests.
Foreign Relations
Another issue is the foreign relations between both countries. Russia has recently opened up to foreign investments, and it is believed that the Russians would benefit from North Korea’s engagement in this undertaking. North Korea’s trade with China and South Korea is heavily controlled by the Chinese and South Korean governments and is largely limited to goods and services related to the Korean War and infrastructure projects. This means that North Korea would have to look to other countries, such as Russia, to help fund the development of its infrastructure.
North Korea’s nuclear weapons program has often been seen as a major source of uneasy relations between Russia and North Korea. Merkel had already expressed his opposition to the North Korean nuclear program before meeting with Kim Jong Un, and the US president Donald Trump was very enthusiastic about getting North Korea to end its nuclear program and it is believed that if Russia could convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, it would be a major diplomatic success for Russia, potentially salvaging its damaged reputation.
This diplomatic goodwill could be further secured by Russia’s military presence in the region. North Korea has had a strained relationship with the US and its allies in recent years and Russia is a major military ally to North Korea who is seen as a major power in East Asia and a bulwark against US and its allies. This military alliance could help Russia protect its interests in East Asia and also open up North Korea to further investments.
Nuclear Program
Although North Korea has expressed a willingness to negotiate its nuclear program, some experts argue North Korea would merely be using the talks as a stalling tactic to, again, strengthen its grip on the region. North Korea’s nuclear program is a major source of contention in international relations and it is believed that any attempts to pressure North Korea to change its policy on the matter would most likely trigger irresponsibility, and even conflict, between the two countries.
North Korea has also been accused of using weapons of mass destruction, including biological weapons, as part of its military engagements. Although these claims are largely unconfirmed, it is believed that North Korea does indeed possess an extensive arsenal of such weapons and that these weapons could potentially put Russia in a dangerous position if North Korea were to use them against Russia in a dispute.
North Korea’s human rights record has been categorized as unacceptable by many human rights organizations. The country has a record of using violence and intimidation against dissidents, particularly in its jails, and its citizens are often deprived of basic rights and freedoms. Russia has previously held conversations with North Korea over the human rights issue but there have been no indications that the North Korean government has taken any serious steps to improve the situation of its citizens.
Although North Korea has made some efforts to modernize its economy in recent years, it has yet to make any significant progress in terms of its economic development. North Korea is heavily reliant on foreign aid and investments in order to deal with its economic crisis, but it remains to be seen whether or not North Korea would be willing to accept Russia’s economic assistance as this is likely to bring with it a range of new economic reforms which could drastically alter the balance of power in the region.
Military Strength
Finally, North Korea has the military strength to fend off potential foreign invasions and its military equipment is well-maintained, leading many to believe that North Korea could provide useful military support to Russia if needed. North Korea has already sent thousands of troops to assist with Russia’s military operations in Eastern Europe and its active military involvement with Russia has become a critical asset in Moscow’s strategic planning. North Korea’s ballistic missiles capabilities have also been a source of anxiety in the region, with its successful testing of long-range missiles leading many to question if North Korea’s missiles could present a threat to other nations.
The ties between Russia and North Korea are complex and far-reaching, and this relationship has grown increasingly important for both countries in the past few years. The question of whether or not North Korea would help Russia remains open, as the two countries have yet to clearly define their relationship. Although there is considerable speculation around the matter, the true intentions and motivations of both countries are yet to be revealed.
The potential for North Korea to assist Russia is a contentious and complicated issue, and the potential ramifications of any actions taken by China, the US, or North Korea are difficult to predict. With both countries having much at stake, an end to the current stalemate may be in sight, and only time will tell if North Korea has anything to offer Russia.
International Relations
Although North Korea and Russia have positive working relations, it is unknown whether North Korea would be willing to provide any material benefit to Russia, as doing so could have wide-reaching implications for both countries’ ongoing international relations. For example, if North Korea aided Russia in a way that went against the interests of the US or its allies, it could lead to a new round of economic sanctions, or potentially, a new regional war.
North Korea’s stance towards Russia has been a source of confusion in many quarters as, on the one hand, North Korea often expresses its faithfulness to Russia, praising Russia as an ally and friend, and on the other, it frequently acts against Russia, undermining its interests and ignoring its warnings. As a result, it is difficult to say whether, or how, North Korea might be of use to Russia.
North Korea has, however, proven itself to be a reliable ally in some instances, such as its provision of military forces to assist Russia in Ukraine, and its opposition to the US-led sanctions against Russia. This could provide North Korea with a powerful bargaining chip should it ever come to the negotiating table with Russia, and could prove to be of immense benefit to North Korea if it ever needed to secure a favorable deal with Russia.
Russia is a major player in the global economy and can often be seen as a major influence in world events, and thus it is possible that North Korea may choose to work with Russia in the future. The two countries have had a somewhat tumultuous relationship in the past, and this could be a deterrent, but if an alliance between the two countries were to be formed, it could be very advantageous for both countries.
Political Influence
The international position of both countries could be significantly impacted by a potential alliance between North Korea and Russia, as such a partnership would provide Russia with a powerful regional political ally, and North Korea with increased international presence.
The prospect of a Russia-North Korean partnership is a worrying one for the US and its allies, as such a move would likely lead to increased tensions in the region and possibly a breakdown of already fragile relations between the two countries.
In addition, North Korea’s poor human rights record has been a consistent source of international criticism and this could be a potential hindrance to any successful alliance with Russia, as the latter is often viewed as a global standard-bearer of human rights.
Furthermore, North Korea’s nuclear program has proven to be a major irritant in its relationship with Russia and other states in the region, and North Korea will likely have to address these issues before any progress can be made towards a possible alliance.
Ultimately, the prospects of North Korea offering Russia assistance is uncertain, and there are various issues that may complicate or prevent a successful partnership from forming. North Korea’s human rights record, its nuclear program, and its generally problematic relations with the US and its allies, may all play a factor in determining the outcome of any potential alliance between the two countries.
