N. Korean troops march in Russia's Victory Day parade for 1st time

North Korean soldiers marched through Red Square for the first time during Russia's Victory Day military parade Thursday, a visible display of the deepening military alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow, The Korea Times reported.

The parade appearance comes roughly two years after Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin signed a strategic partnership treaty in June 2024, under which North Korea has deployed about 15,000 combat troops to support Russian forces in the field.

North Korean soldiers carried the DPRK national flag and a Victory Day banner as they marched in formation across Red Square, The Korea Times reported, citing Russian state news agency Tass. North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol watched from the stands and applauded as the contingent passed.

Kim Jong-un marked the occasion by sending Putin a congratulatory message, conveying his "sincerest congratulations" on the 81st Victory Day, according to the Korean Central News Agency, as cited by The Korea Times. Kim also expressed satisfaction with what he called the "brilliant history of independence, dignity, peace and prosperity" that the two nations now share.

The parade debut follows North Korea's deployment of approximately 15,000 combat troops to Russia, according to The Korea Times. That military cooperation emerged from the strategic partnership treaty Kim and Putin signed in June 2024, which formalized an alliance that has drawn international concern.

Victory Day, observed each May 9, commemorates the Soviet Union's World War II victory over Nazi Germany. This year's ceremony in Moscow marked the 81st anniversary of the end of the conflict in Europe.

North Korea's debut in one of Russia's most prominent state ceremonies marks a visible step in the formalization of a partnership that has reshaped military dynamics on the Ukrainian front and drawn scrutiny from the United States, South Korea and their allies.