North Korea and Russia have signed a three-year bilateral cooperation agreement on disaster management, marking an expansion of administrative and civil protection ties between the two allied nations, international news agency Anadolu reported on Tuesday.
The accord, covering the 2027–2029 period, was formally finalized at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang following high-level ministerial consultations between North Korea’s Minister of Disaster Management, Kim Chol Nam, and Russia’s Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief (EMERCOM), Alexander Kurenkov.
During the bilateral talks, the delegations explored strategic mechanisms to mitigate natural disaster risks, share institutional expertise in emergency prevention, and bolster joint humanitarian and rescue capabilities.
The signing ceremony and discussions were attended by high-ranking officials from both nations, including North Korea’s Vice Minister of Disaster Management, Ri Su Gil, and the Russian Ambassador to North Korea, Andrei Podelyshev. Following the deliberations, a state banquet was held in Pyongyang in honour of the visiting Russian delegation.
The pact reflects the broadening scope of bilateral relations following the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June 2024. Moscow and Pyongyang have rapidly deepened strategic, economic, and logistical cooperation amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, where North Korea deployed military personnel in support of Russian forces. That alignment further expanded into post-conflict recovery and infrastructure stabilization, including Pyongyang’s deployment of specialized engineering and reconstruction contingents to Russia’s Kursk region.
Sources: Anadolu Agency, KCNA / TASS via International Wire Dispatches.