North Korea–Russia relations
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 North Korea |
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Diplomatic relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the predecessor state to the Russian Federation) were first established on October 12, 1948 shortly after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was proclaimed. Though the two were close allies during the Cold War, relations between them have loosened since the breakup of the Soviet Union. The relationship gained some importance again after Kim Jong-Un accepted an invitation to visit Russia.(2014–15) The two states share a border along the lower Tumen River (Туманная), which is 17 kilometers (11 mi) long and was formed in 1860 when the Tsar Alexander II acquired territory ceded from China in the Convention of Peking.
Favorable perceptions of North Korea in Russia are gradually declining, with only 34% of Russians viewing North Korea as a friendly nation and 60% of Russians believing that North Korea's nuclear arms pose a threat to other countries; only 8% of Russians favor supporting North Korea in a potential conflict. According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 19% of Russians view North Korea's influence positively, with 37% expressing a negative view.
The Soviet Union government had provided much support to North Korea during the Cold War. 26,000 Soviet troops fought in North Korea during the Korean War. The Soviet government under Gorbachev began to reduce aid to the North after 1985 in favor of reconciliation with South Korea. Military equipment continued to be provided until a last batch of MiG-29s was delivered in 1989.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the new Russian government under Boris Yeltsin refused to provide support for North Korea, instead in favor of South Korea.
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