North Korea, Russia sign mutual defense deal as Kim pledges support on Ukraine

SEOUL, South Korea — Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a mutual defense agreement on Wednesday with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, who offered his "full support" on Ukraine.

The pledge of military cooperation was part of a strategic treaty signed during a summit in Pyongyang, where Putin was making his first visit in 24 years.

"It is really a breakthrough document," Putin said at a news conference in the North Korean capital, adding it provided, "among other things, for mutual assistance in case of aggression against one of the parties", Russian news agencies said.

The two countries have been allies since North Korea's founding after World War II and have drawn even closer since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The United States and its allies have accused North Korea of providing ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine, and the treaty was certain to fuel concerns of more deliveries.

Putin also said Russia "does not rule out military-technical cooperation with the DPRK in connection with the treaty", referring to North Korea by its official name.

Kim called Putin the "dearest friend of the Korean people" and said his country "expresses full support and solidarity to the Russian government" over the war in Ukraine, which has triggered rafts of sanctions on Moscow.

Putin, in turn, thanked Kim -- whose country has been under a UN sanctions regime since 2006 over its weapons programmes -- saying Moscow appreciated the "consistent and unwavering" support.

The two countries would not tolerate Western "blackmail", Putin said, calling for a review of UN sanctions on North Korea.

"The indefinite restrictive regime inspired by the US and its allies at the UN Security Council towards the DPRK should be reviewed," Putin said.

"Today, we are fighting together against the hegemonism and neo-colonial practices of the United States and its satellites," the Russian leader added.

Putin later flew to Vietnam to begin a state visit, with AFP video footage showing him departing his plane in Hanoi early Thursday morning.

Kim greeted Putin upon his pre-dawn arrival at a Pyongyang airport on Wednesday, with the pair embracing and smiling.

They then attended a