Russian President, Vladimir Putin and his counterpart from North Korea, Kim Jong Un – have signed an agreement pledging that both will help each other in the event of “aggression” against either country.
The Russian president made the announcement on Wednesday following talks with Mr Kim during a lavish visit to Pyongyang, his first since 2000.
Mr Kim said the visit had taken the relationship between both countries to “a new, high level of alliance”.
The pact cements a rapidly blossoming partnership that has worried the West.
Kim is already accused of supplying Russia with weapons, while Putin is thought to be giving the North Koreans space technology that could aid their missile programme.
The two last met in Russia in September.
treaty is likely to anger South Korea which had ahead of the meeting, warned Russia against going “beyond a certain point”.
National Security adviser Chang Ho-jin had told his Russian counterpart that Moscow “should take into consideration which among North Korea and South Korea will be more important to her – once Russia ends its war with Ukraine”