On May 29th, Shoigu once again thanked the North Korean soldiers at a military conference, calling Russia and North Korea "shoulder-to-shoulder good brothers." He mentioned that when the North Korean soldiers protected Kursk, they did so as if defending their own country. Coincidentally, on the same day, an 11-nation joint investigation team composed of the United States, Japan, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, and others also released a document report about Russian-North Korean cooperation, disclosing unprecedented levels of cooperation between the two countries.

In summary, there are some data points that were unexpected:

1. First, the number of artillery shells North Korea has provided to the Russian army is beyond imagination.

The report revealed that in 2024, North Korea supplied over 9 million artillery shells to the Russian Army in 49 separate shipments. In return, Russia was equally generous, providing North Korea with electronic warfare systems, air defense missile systems, and even training its soldiers to operate these systems.

2. Secondly, North Korea’s contribution of troops is also impressive.

In 2024, North Korea sent a total of 11,000 troops to aid Russia, with an additional 3,000 deployed recently. This figure aligns with previous leaks. However, this 11-nation investigative team also discovered that besides sending soldiers to the frontlines, North Korea secretly dispatched 8,000 people to Russia in 2024 to work in construction, IT, and other fields.

These figures have not been confirmed by either Russia or North Korea. However, it is certain that the 11 nations believe these numbers to be accurate, especially South Korea, which is now extremely anxious. After all, from these figures, it is clear that North Korea now not only has advanced electronic warfare and air defense systems but also a group of frontline soldiers with combat experience.

This reminds us of South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's recent remarks. No wonder Lee believes that China can be the stabilizing force for the peninsula; he has clearly seen the tension in the situation there.

A few days ago, Lee Jae-myung expressed his foreign policy stance on social media. He stated that if elected, he would certainly develop good relations with China because:

1. China is South Korea's most important trading partner;

2. China is a country that can directly influence security on the Korean Peninsula.

Lee is very concerned about the current situation on the peninsula. He believes that South Korea's policy towards North Korea should not become a political tool for those with ulterior motives. Instead, South Korea should focus on achieving denuclearization and peace on the peninsula. Lee's proposition has received strong support from many South Koreans. Currently, his latest approval rating stands at 49.2%, surpassing the second-place candidate by more than ten percentage points. It seems likely that he will take office.

On one hand, Lee hopes China can influence North Korea, while on the other, Russia continues to deepen its cooperation with North Korea. According to the latest information from the Kremlin, Putin's confidant, Medvedev, will make an official visit to North Korea in October. Commentators suggest that North Korea might send more troops to the frontlines of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

China has not yet responded to these developments. In fact, China's attitude toward the Ukraine battlefield, the situation on the peninsula, and Russian-North Korean cooperation has always been clear. We do not wish for the spillover of the war in Ukraine, nor do we want crises on the peninsula. However, as sovereign states, any cooperation between Russia and North Korea that complies with international law is none of our business. If Lee Jae-myung does indeed come to power, we hope South Korea will show sincerity and no longer conduct military exercises near North Korea's doorstep with U.S.-South Korean forces. If this happens, we believe the situation on the peninsula can stabilize. For further updates, let us continue to monitor the situation.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7510050303450808832/

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