Pyongyang appears to step back from Russia on Victory Day, possibly over troop compensation

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Pyongyang appears to step back from Russia on Victory Day, possibly over troop compensation

Published: 09 May. 2025, 14:36

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervises a combined strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on May 8. [YONHAP]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un kept his distance from Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on Friday, opting not to attend the military parade in Moscow or send a congratulatory message to a reception held in Pyongyang.

Instead, he visited a missile training site and oversaw a strike drill, appearing to signal a strategic detachment from the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Reception held, but no message

Kim supervised a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on Thursday, just one day before Russia’s Victory Day, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

He emphasized the importance of the country’s nuclear arsenal, stating that it must “continually enhance its central role in war deterrence and execution.” He also called for “constant combat readiness” and ordered improvements in the “reliability of tactical nuclear weapons.”

That same evening, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang hosted a banquet at the Yanggakdo International Hotel to mark the occasion. North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun reported on a speech delivered by Defense Minister No Kwang-chol, but made no mention of a message from Kim.

At the banquet, Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Matsegora quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as praising “the courage and sacrifice of North Korean soldiers during the Battle of Kursk.”

Matsegora also announced plans to erect monuments in their honor in “liberated Russian towns,” including renaming locations in Kursk.

Attendees at a reception hosted by the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang participate in a toast during the reception at Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyang to mark Russia’s Victory Day on May 8. [YONHAP]

Differences from 10, 20 years ago

This year’s Victory Day held special significance as a decennial milestone. The Russian Embassy has hosted banquets in Pyongyang for every anniversary since 2000, except during the pandemic in 2020, according to Seoul’s Ministry of Unification.

Attendees at this year’s event included key figures involved in North Korea-Russia relations, such as Defense Minister No, Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Pak Jong-chon and Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, along with a visiting delegation from Belarus.

However, the level of representation was noted to be lower than in previous milestone years. In 2005 and 2015, higher-ranking officials like Kim Yong-nam and Yang Hyong-sop attended the event.

In 2005, under Kim Jong-il’s leadership, North Korea even sent anti-Japanese guerrilla veterans to Moscow. In 2015, Kim Jong-un sent Supreme People’s Assembly President Kim Yong-nam and exchanged medals and congratulatory messages with Putin, including a medal ceremony in Pyongyang.

North Korea's 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers are seen during a drill on May 8. [YONHAP]

No Kim, Choe also absent

Given that precedent, some analysts expected Kim to dispatch Supreme People’s Assembly Standing Committee Chairman Choe Ryong-hae this year. With both nations recently acknowledging North Korean troop involvement in the Ukraine war, speculation had also mounted that Kim might make a personal gesture.

However, according to South Korean intelligence, North Korea initially planned to send Choe as a special envoy but withdrew the plan at the last minute. North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol is expected to represent Pyongyang at the parade.

The absence of any North Korean military participation — despite being the only foreign force to have fought alongside Russia — has raised eyebrows. Observers suggest that tensions may be brewing over unmet expectations regarding military technology transfers from Russia, including intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) reentry and nuclear-powered submarine technology.

China's President Xi Jinping attends a dinner for the heads of foreign delegations attending celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II in Moscow on May 9. [TASS/YONHAP]

If there was friction between the two countries, it is likely that it arose in the process of coordinating compensation for the dispatch of troops. Kim is expecting advanced nuclear and missile-related technologies, such as ICBM re-entry technology and nuclear-powered submarine technology, from Russia, but he may be expressing his dissatisfaction with Russia for failing to meet his expectations.

Others speculate that China, which sent President Xi Jinping to attend the parade and held a summit with Putin, may have discouraged overt trilateral alignment with Pyongyang to avoid emphasizing a North Korea-China-Russia bloc.

Xi attended the Victory Day event in person, met with Putin, and criticized the United States for its “unilateralism and hegemonic bullying.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervises a combined strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on May 8. [YONHAP]

Focusing on threats against the South

By skipping the parade and focusing on missile drills, Kim appears to be reinforcing a hardline posture while keeping any diplomatic discord behind the scenes.

North Korea stated it had verified the “activation reliability of its nuclear trigger system” during the Thursday drill — a system designed to integrate command and launch authority over nuclear weapons.

Professor Lim Eul-chul of Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies interpreted the move as “signaling North Korea’s intent to prepare its tactical nuclear weapons for rapid deployment across the Korean Peninsula.”

Meanwhile, the South Korean government declined a Russian invitation to attend the parade.

Korean Ambassador Lee Do-hoon to Russia will not be present, reportedly due to concerns that sending a high-level official to an event showcasing Russia’s wartime capabilities could send the wrong message, especially amid continued military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY PARK HYUN-JU [[email protected]]