Rare cooperation plan with Moscow could accelerate Pyongyang’s military modernisation on multiple fronts, analysts say
3-MIN READ3-MINSeong Hyeon ChoiPublished: 10:00pm, 3 May 2026China may be feeling uneasy about talk of a rare five-year defence cooperation plan between North Korea and Russia that could accelerate Pyongyang’s military modernisation on multiple fronts, analysts said.
Belousov also said preparations were under way for a five-year military cooperation plan, according to Tass.
“We have reached an agreement with the DPRK’s [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s] defence ministry to place our military cooperation on a sustainable long-term footing,” Belousov reportedly said, referring to North Korea.
“We are prepared to sign a Russian-Korean military cooperation plan for the 2027-2031 period this year.”
The North Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency did not report on the discussion about the five-year plan, instead saying Kim and Belousov had discussed a “series of issues” to further consolidate and “level up strengthening and developing political and military cooperation and collaboration” between Pyongyang and Moscow.
