North Korea in July 2026: the most important developments in politics
In July 2026 North Korea's diplomacy centred on Russia. On July 19 Russian President Vladimir Putin received North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui in the Kremlin and praised the bravery of North Korean soldiers. Putin thanked North Korea for its support in Russia's military operation in Ukraine, and the Kremlin said Kim Jong Un takes a positive view of ties with Russia. Choe reaffirmed Pyongyang's commitment to strengthening strategic relations with Moscow. A Russian deputy foreign minister said Moscow and Pyongyang are working hard to cement their union.
On July 11 China and North Korea marked the 65th anniversary of their Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. The leaders exchanged congratulations, Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with his North Korean counterpart, and senior Chinese official Cai Qi attended a reception.
The same day North Korea condemned the United States, and its Foreign Ministry called the issue of denuclearisation closed. Kim Jong Un also denounced corruption and launched a crackdown that included the punishment of a former official in a corruption case.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
Click a day in the chart above for that day's brief.