North Korea has accused the United States of stoking tensions in the Taiwan Strait through arms sales and military support for the island, while leader Kim Jong Un separately pledged continued backing for Russia's war effort in a birthday message to President Vladimir Putin, state media reported on Wednesday.
Warning over Taiwan
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) carried a commentary attributed to international affairs analyst Kim Myong Chol, which said Washington's Taiwan policy was undermining peace and stability in the region. The commentary condemned the appearance of American-made fighter aircraft in Taiwan, saying the United States "should think twice" about whether it was prepared for a direct confrontation with China over Taiwan and whether it could handle the consequences.
The remarks came after the first two of 66 new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets ordered by Taiwan in 2019 arrived on the island last week. China claims the democratically governed island as its own territory and has intensified military pressure around it in recent years.
Message to Putin
In a separate KCNA dispatch, Kim Jong Un sent a birthday message to the Russian president in which he pledged to continue expanding joint work under the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership. Kim said he was convinced Russia's "sacred war of justice" to defend its sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity would end in victory.
The message did not explicitly mention Russia's war in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian and South Korean estimates, North Korea has sent between 14,000 and 15,000 troops to support Russia's war effort since 2024. The two countries signed a mutual defence pact in June 2024, sharply deepening ties that have drawn Western sanctions and condemnation.
The twin statements underline how Pyongyang is positioning itself as both a critic of US posture in East Asia and an ally of Moscow at a time of overlapping geopolitical flashpoints.
Sources: Nikkei Asia: North Korea warns US over Taiwan; Kim pledges support for Russia; The Japan Times: North Korea warns U.S. over Taiwan while Kim pledges support for Russia
Warning over Taiwan
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) carried a commentary attributed to international affairs analyst Kim Myong Chol, which said Washington's Taiwan policy was undermining peace and stability in the region. The commentary condemned the appearance of American-made fighter aircraft in Taiwan, saying the United States "should think twice" about whether it was prepared for a direct confrontation with China over Taiwan and whether it could handle the consequences.
The remarks came after the first two of 66 new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets ordered by Taiwan in 2019 arrived on the island last week. China claims the democratically governed island as its own territory and has intensified military pressure around it in recent years.
Message to Putin
In a separate KCNA dispatch, Kim Jong Un sent a birthday message to the Russian president in which he pledged to continue expanding joint work under the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership. Kim said he was convinced Russia's "sacred war of justice" to defend its sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity would end in victory.
The message did not explicitly mention Russia's war in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian and South Korean estimates, North Korea has sent between 14,000 and 15,000 troops to support Russia's war effort since 2024. The two countries signed a mutual defence pact in June 2024, sharply deepening ties that have drawn Western sanctions and condemnation.
The twin statements underline how Pyongyang is positioning itself as both a critic of US posture in East Asia and an ally of Moscow at a time of overlapping geopolitical flashpoints.
Sources: Nikkei Asia: North Korea warns US over Taiwan; Kim pledges support for Russia; The Japan Times: North Korea warns U.S. over Taiwan while Kim pledges support for Russia
