North Korea says deal with Russia means immediate military aid in event of war

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un shake hands during the official welcome ceremony in the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea (KCNA/AP)

An agreement between Russia and North Korea requires both countries to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance in the event of war, according to North Korean state media.

Both North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin had described the deal, reached at a Pyongyang summit on Wednesday, as a major upgrade of bilateral relations, covering security, trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian ties.