North Korea warns US against intervening in Taiwan Strait, Kim backs ‘one China’ and pledges support for Russia

TAIPEI — North Korea has again weighed in on the Taiwan Strait, openly criticizing US arms sales and military support for Taiwan, saying Washington’s policies could heighten tensions in the Taiwan Strait. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also reaffirmed support for China’s “one China” principle and pledged continued support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Reuters reported that the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Oct. 7 cited comments by North Korean international affairs analyst Kim Myong Chol, who criticized US policy toward Taiwan as harmful to regional peace and stability and warned Washington over its sale of fighter jets to Taiwan.

North Korea said the United States should carefully consider whether it was prepared to confront China directly over Taiwan’s security and whether it could bear the consequences.

The remarks came as Taiwan was taking delivery of a new batch of F-16V fighter jets. Reuters said Taiwan last week received the first two of the 66 F-16V Block 70 aircraft ordered from the United States in 2019. Taiwan has continued to strengthen its defense capabilities in recent years in response to military pressure from Beijing.

North Korea moves closer to China’s position

North Korea’s public criticism of US policy toward Taiwan also highlights Pyongyang’s increasingly aligned position with Beijing on the Taiwan issue.

Reuters said China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, while Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims. China has long regarded the Taiwan issue as one of its core foreign policy concerns and has repeatedly called on the United States to halt arms sales to Taiwan.

Although the United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, US law requires Washington to provide Taiwan with the weapons needed to maintain its self-defense capabilities.

When Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang in June, he also said North Korea would fully support China’s “one China” principle. Beijing’s “one China” principle holds that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China. Taiwan’s government, however, says Beijing has no right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan or represent Taiwan in international settings.

Relations between North Korea, China and Russia have deepened in recent years, drawing greater attention from the United States and its Asian allies to strategic cooperation among the three countries.

Kim again voices support for Putin and Russia

Beyond the Taiwan issue, Kim also again expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to North Korean state media, Kim sent Putin birthday greetings, saying North Korea would continue cooperating with Russia and supporting the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

Kim described Russia’s campaign as a “just war” to defend its sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity, and said he believed Russia would ultimately prevail. The message did not directly mention Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Military and security cooperation between North Korea and Russia has rapidly deepened since the two countries signed a mutual defense treaty in June 2024. Reuters, citing estimates from Ukraine and South Korea, reported that North Korea has sent about 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia in the conflict since 2024.

Strategic links emerge between Taiwan Strait and Ukraine war

North Korea’s simultaneous statements on Taiwan and Russia have again drawn attention to possible links among security developments in East Asia.

North Korea is not a direct party to the Taiwan Strait issue, but Pyongyang’s closer ties with Beijing and Moscow mean that the East Asian security environment surrounding Taiwan is becoming more complex.

As Taiwan continues to purchase advanced fighter jets and other defense equipment from the United States, North Korea’s public criticism of US arms sales shows that military issues involving the Taiwan Strait have become a key focus of criticism of US security policy by China and some of its strategic partners.

North Korea’s continued support for Russia has also intensified international scrutiny of the geopolitical links among the Korean Peninsula, the Taiwan Strait and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Taiwan continues to strengthen its defenses

Taiwan has continued to pursue defense reforms and military modernization in recent years, including taking delivery of new F-16V fighter jets and improving the overall capabilities of its air force.

Although North Korea’s latest remarks were mainly directed at the United States, they came against the backdrop of Taiwan’s deepening security cooperation with Washington.

Whether the United States will provide Taiwan with additional weapons, how Taiwan will strengthen its own defense capabilities, and whether strategic cooperation among China, North Korea and Russia will deepen further will all be important indicators to watch in the Asia-Pacific security environment.

For Taiwan, the central challenge in this geopolitical competition remains how to preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait while strengthening its own defense and diplomatic resilience amid an increasingly complex international security environment.