North Korea warns US over Taiwan while Kim pledges support for Russia — SkimNews
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- North Korea accused the US of fuelling Taiwan Strait tensions through arms sales, with a KCNA commentary by analyst Kim Myong Chol questioning whether Washington is 'ready to stand in frontal confrontation' with China over Taiwan's security.
- The rebuke landed the same week the first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets Taiwan ordered in 2019 arrived on the island, the source notes.
- Kim Jong Un sent a birthday message to President Putin pledging to expand joint work under the countries' comprehensive strategic partnership, saying he was convinced Russia's 'sacred war of justice' would end in victory.
- The message notably did not explicitly mention Russia's war in Ukraine, even as North Korea has sent an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Moscow's war effort since 2024.
- North Korea and Russia have sharply deepened ties since Putin and Kim signed a mutual defence pact in June 2024, providing the framework for the military and diplomatic coordination now on display.
Why it matters: Pyongyang is now publicly linking the Taiwan and Ukraine theaters into a single anti-US posture, backing a 14,000–15,000-troop commitment to Russia while warning Washington off Taiwan—all under the June 2024 mutual defence pact that obliges coordinated action between the two.
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