North Korea criticises US support for Taiwan, pledges backing for Russia
North Korea criticised the United States over its arms sales and military support for Taiwan, accusing Washington of fuelling tension in the Taiwan Strait, state news agency KCNA said on Wednesday.
North Korea has criticized the United States for its support of Taiwan, accusing Washington of increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. KCNA, North Korea's state news agency, stated that the US policy on Taiwan is undermining regional peace and stability, and condemned the presence of US fighter aircraft in Taiwan. The agency noted that the US should reconsider its readiness to confront China over Taiwan's security and the potential consequences.
The comments indicate that North Korea is aligning more closely with China on the issue of Taiwan, which is a highly sensitive foreign policy matter for Beijing. China claims the democratic island of Taiwan as its own territory, although the self-governing island rejects this assertion.
In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged full support for China's "One China" principle, which Beijing interprets as referring to both sides of the Taiwan Strait belonging to a single country, regardless of international circumstances. The summit also included a cautiously phrased reference to defense cooperation between the two nations.
Analysts have noted that North Korea's decision to send troops to fight alongside Russia in the ongoing Ukraine war demonstrates its willingness to provide material assistance in wartime, although no comparable commitment to China has been observed. China views Taiwan as the "core of core issues" in its relations with other countries and demands no form of official engagement between Taiwan and foreign leaders.
The US is obligated by law to provide Taiwan with defense capabilities, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties.
Kim Jong Un also pledged continued support for Russia and its war efforts in a birthday message to President Vladimir Putin, according to KCNA. He expressed confidence that Russia's "sacred war of justice" to defend its sovereignty, security interests, and territorial integrity would result in victory. The message did not explicitly mention Russia's conflict with Ukraine, but North Korea has reportedly sent between 14,000 and 15,000 troops to assist Russia since 2024.
The two countries have significantly strengthened their ties since signing a mutual defense pact in June 2024.
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