N. Korea, Russia sign military agreement
Agreement signed between senior figures, possibly increase military and diplomatic communication
North Korea and Russia signed an agreement on preventing dangerous military activity, according to an article from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), published yesterday.
The finalized agreement came after the arrival of a senior Russian military delegation in Pyongyang on Monday. The group was led by First Vice Chief of General Staff Nikolai Bogdanovski.
The delegation met with the DPRK’s O Kum Chol, Vice-Chief of the Korean People’s Army General Staff, numerous other generals and the Russian Ambassador to the North Korea.
“An agreement on preventing the dangerous military action was inked between the governments of the DPRK and the Russian Federation here on Thursday,” the KCNA article reads.
The article gives little further detail on the new military agreement, though Russian media reports from last year contained numerous clauses of the draft version.
If the agreement has not been altered in subsequent discussions, it will function to “confirm the commitment to improve the bilateral relations and … quickly settle by peaceful means any incidents between the armed forces of the states of the sides,” according to Itar Tass news agency.
The document will also bind both countries to being very cautious during military operations near each other’s borders, and prevent “entry of equipment and personnel into the territory of the other state due to force majeure circumstances or as a result of unintentional actions.”
A clause on minimising laser radiation to the detriment of either side was also included.
“The agreement seems to be about military-to-military and diplomatic communication regarding military and security force operations which could potentially impact the other party, as well as establishing conventions on certain operations and equipment usage,” NK News director of intelligence John Grisafi said.
O Kum Chol is a member of the Worker’s Party Committee and has been in the position of vice-chief since 2008. According to the NK Leadership tracker he is often involved with the DPRK’s foreign relations.
The General Staff handling the new agreement with Russia – as opposed to the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces – is also significant.
“The General Staff is more actively responsible for military operations. So this is not just some symbolic memorandum, it is an actual plan agreed upon by those with more direct oversight of military operations,” Grisafi added.
Featured image: KCNA
