North Korea shows support for Russia through a powerful cultural display in Pyongyang. Leader Kim Jong-un attended a concert featuring Russian and North Korean performers, highlighting growing military and diplomatic cooperation between both nations.
The event took place at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre on Sunday. It marked the first anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed on June 19, 2024. The treaty includes a mutual defense pledge between the two countries.
During the concert, large screens displayed images of North Korean soldiers deployed to Russian battlefields. For the first time, state media publicly showed footage of Kim Jong-un receiving the remains of North Korean troops repatriated from Russia. His sister Kim Yo-jong and Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui also appeared in the tribute.
North Korea shows support for Russia by also displaying scenes of battlefield operations. Screens showed troops waving both nations’ flags and footage of Kim authorizing attacks in the Kursk region between October and December 2024. This marked the first official domestic confirmation of North Korean military involvement in Ukraine.
Kim Jong-un attended the performance alongside Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova and his daughter Ju-ae. Her presence marks her second diplomatic appearance, following their visit to the Russian Embassy on May 8.
Before the event, Kim and Lyubimova held a meeting at the ruling party’s headquarters. Both sides expressed confidence in further strengthening their “militant friendship.” Russian officials brought a 125-member delegation of artists, reinforcing cultural ties.
North Korea shows support for Russia through continued media coverage of their alliance. The North’s foreign ministry and Russia’s embassy co-hosted a reception last week, and Kim recently held back-to-back meetings with Russian security chief Sergei Shoigu.
In sharp contrast, Pyongyang has ignored renewed diplomatic signals from US President Donald Trump. Instead, North Korean media continues to promote anti-American sentiment. A recent editorial stressed self-reliance as a permanent strategy, indirectly criticizing U.S. sanctions.
South Korean intelligence now believes North Korea could send more troops to Russia by August. Pyongyang’s latest moves suggest its alignment with Moscow will continue deepening on multiple fronts — military, political, and cultural.
