Russia and China are both sending government delegations to North Korea this week to participate in events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. These visits indicate that North Korea is opening up after years of isolation due to the pandemic and is eager to showcase its partnerships with its authoritarian neighbors in the face of escalating nuclear tensions with the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
According to North Korea’s state media, a Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday evening and was welcomed by senior North Korean officials, including Defense Minister Kang Sun Nam. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that Shoigu held a meeting with Kang to enhance cooperation between their defense departments. Video footage showed the Russian delegates laying wreaths at a Soviet war monument in Pyongyang and saluting statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the grandfather and father of current North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
China’s ruling Communist Party is also sending a midlevel official, Li Hongzhong, to restore exchanges between the two allies. North Korea is preparing extensive celebrations for the anniversary, which are expected to culminate in a military parade in Pyongyang, where Kim Jong Un may showcase the country’s most powerful, nuclear-capable missiles targeting neighboring adversaries and the U.S.
During the anniversary preparations, Kim and other top North Korean officials visited cemeteries, including one for Chinese troops who fought alongside North Korea during the war. Kim expressed gratitude for the Chinese soldiers, referring to them as “martyrs” who would be immortal in the hearts of the Korean people. The Korean War resulted from North Korea’s unsuccessful attempt to conquer its southern rival, and no peace treaty has been signed, leaving the border between the two Koreas highly tense. North Korea still celebrates the armistice as a victory in the “Grand Fatherland Liberation War.”
The visits by Russian and Chinese delegations mark the second time since the start of the pandemic that foreign government officials have been invited to enter North Korea. The first was China’s ambassador to Pyongyang in March. North Korea initially imposed a self-imposed lockdown to protect its healthcare system, but since last year, it has gradually reopened trade with China to improve its struggling economy. South Korea’s Unification Ministry stated that it is premature to suggest whether North Korea will further open its borders in the future, but recent measures to ease virus controls and preparations to send athletes to international sporting events indicate that it may only be a matter of time.
The 70th anniversary comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region as North Korea ramps up its weapons tests, and the United States conducts military exercises with South Korea. Some experts believe that North Korea may conduct more weapons tests around the armistice anniversary. North Korea has conducted numerous missile firings recently in protest of the U.S. sending naval vessels, including a nuclear-armed submarine, to South Korea as a show of force.
North Korea has aligned itself with Russia over the war in Ukraine, asserting that the U.S.-led West’s “hegemonic policy” forced Moscow to take military action. The Biden administration has accused North Korea of supplying arms to Russia for its fighting in Ukraine. Both Russia and China have hindered U.S. efforts to strengthen U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea in response to its missile tests.
When asked about the visits by Russia and China, the U.S. State Department called for both countries to play a more constructive role in defusing tensions and bringing North Korea back to dialogue. The Chinese delegation, led by Li Hongzhong, is expected to contribute to regional peace and stability and create conditions for a political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.
China remains North Korea’s most important economic and political ally, although it has joined U.N. sanctions against North Korea for its missile and nuclear programs. China is committed to preventing the collapse of the Kim government to avoid potential ramifications such as a refugee crisis, a scramble for control of nuclear weapons, and the presence of South Korean and American troops along its border. Past years have seen visits between Kim Jong Un and Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a means to leverage concessions from the U.S. and its allies regarding regional security arrangements. However, these visits halted when North Korea closed its borders due to COVID-19.
Overall, the visits by Russia and China to North Korea highlight the country’s efforts to engage with the international community, particularly its authoritarian neighbors, amid growing nuclear tensions.