Shaw Ig, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, visited North Korea again on the 4th and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-un pledged to continue "unconditional support" for Russia and reaffirmed the commitment to the strategic partnership between the two countries, indicating a deepening of cooperation that exacerbates regional and global security threats.

According to North Korean state media, this visit marks Shaw Ig's return to North Korea since March, where he and Kim discussed deepening military cooperation and exchanged views on significant international situations, including Ukraine. The two leaders also acknowledged the contributions of North Korean soldiers in the Ukraine-Russia war and planned commemorative activities for this purpose. Furthermore, they discussed issues related to the reconstruction of the Kursk region.

Kim Jong-un also committed to continuing military aid to Russia and promised to "unconditionally support" Russia's positions and diplomatic policies on all critical international issues. Although Russia and North Korea have not disclosed the number of North Korean troops in Russia, a recent report by the Multinational Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) noted that Pyongyang provided over 11,000 troops to Russia last year to participate in the invasion of Ukraine and has recently dispatched an additional 3,000 troops, along with up to 9 million artillery shells and other military supplies. Multiple countries, including the US, Japan, and South Korea, have assessed that North Korea's aid to Russia aims to secure economic assistance and advanced technology from Russia to accelerate the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, posing threats to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally.