Russia, North Korea Sign ‘Strategic Partnership‘ Pact in Pyongyang

The leaders of Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive “strategic partnership” treaty on June 19 during a bilateral summit held in Pyongyang. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in the North Korean capital one day earlier, the freshly signed pact obliges each party to come to the other’s defense if they are subject to external attack. “The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today provides … for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties,” Mr. Putin said after a signing ceremony with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Russian leader said the “groundbreaking” agreement also called for enhanced cooperation in the economic, commercial, cultural, and humanitarian fields....