Go Young-hwan: "Kim Jong-un Emphasizes 'Alliance' Alone... Trying to Provoke China"

Defector Diplomat Highlights Putin and Kim Jong-un's Divergent Stances
"Kim Jong-un Repeats Alliance... Different Treaty Interpretations"
"Two-Faced Diplomacy Aiming to Provoke China Through Close Ties with Russia"

North Korea and Russia have newly signed an agreement close to the Soviet-era 'automatic military intervention' clause. However, analysts suggest that the continuous 'tone difference' detected in the expressions of President Vladimir Putin and Chairman Kim Jong-un indicates that North Korea is taking the lead to provoke China.

Go Young-hwan, director of the National Unification Education Institute and a 'defector diplomat,' said on the 21st, when asked to evaluate the results of the North Korea-Russia summit, "The North Korea-Soviet Union friendship treaty had exactly six articles, but this time there are many detailed contents and more than 20 articles," adding, "Although the level has dropped, it seems to have almost risen to a quasi-military alliance." Director Go was an aide close to Chairman Kim Il-sung until his defection in 1991.

Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, spent time together and strengthened their friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the garden area of the Kumsusan Guesthouse, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 20th. The two alternately drove the Aurus car gifted by President Putin to Chairman Kim around the guesthouse premises. The agency reported that Chairman Kim highly praised the performance of the car and expressed his gratitude.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, Director Go pointed out, "There is something a little strange." While Chairman Kim repeatedly emphasized 'alliance,' President Putin never used such expressions even once. The 'comprehensive strategic partnership' agreement signed between North Korea and Russia is strictly speaking a lower level than an alliance.

He analyzed, "Only Kim Jong-un keeps mentioning the word alliance at every turn, so I think there might be differences in understanding the (treaty) documents between the two sides," adding, "From Russia's perspective, it would be difficult to completely abandon relations with South Korea, the United States, and Japan and follow Kim Jong-un's intentions blindly." In fact, Chairman Kim stated in the summit results announcement, "There will be no 'minor interpretational differences,' hesitation, or wavering whatsoever in faithfully fulfilling obligations." This also reveals that he is aware of the differences in positions between North Korea and Russia.

From the perspective of a 'North Korean diplomat,' Director Go viewed that Chairman Kim is provoking China by closely aligning with Russia.

He evaluated, "When Kim Jong-un visited Russia last September, he said, 'Our top priority in foreign relations is Russia,' but North Korea's top priority has always been China, which has reliably played the role of a backer," adding, "Judging by how President Putin was received more warmly than Chairman Xi Jinping this time, it can be seen as an indicator that the current North Korea-China relationship has cooled." He continued, "Since the Kim Il-sung era, North Korea has practiced 'two-legged diplomacy,' attaching itself to China when Russia did not do well, and to Russia when China was neglectful," and said, "It is necessary to closely examine Kim Jong-un's moves to provoke China."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.