Kim Jong Un's alliance with Putin sparks north Korea's economic surge

The alliance between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin is yielding results for North Korea and Russia. Due to the cooperation between the regimes, Russian troops have the means to attack Ukraine, and the North Korean economy is experiencing its first growth in three years—one of the most significant increases since the change of leadership in Pyongyang.

Unlike China’s leader, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un is not particularly concerned about relations with the USA and escalating threats against the United States and South Korea. The latest data may shed some light on the dictator’s boldness.

Data from the Bank of South Korea, cited by Bloomberg, shows that the totalitarian neighbour's economy recorded growth of about 3 percent in 2023, ending a three-year streak of declines. This is one of the best results since Kim Jong Il died in 2011 and certainly the largest since 2016.

The agency writes that the growth follows Kim's rapprochement with Moscow. He ignored US calls to return to disarmament talks and lifted border restrictions imposed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely hampered trade for his sanction-hit economy.

Russia and North Korea officially deny that Kim is supplying Putin with weapons, especially ammunition and missiles, which the Russian aggressor started to run out of after the first phase of the war in Ukraine. However, satellite images and other evidence suggest otherwise.

Bloomberg writes that The Bank of Korea reported that heavy and chemical industries contributed to economic growth, increasing by 8.1% compared to the previous year. While the report does not specify whether these industries produce weapons, it notes an increase in the production of primary metals, which may include iron, steel, copper, nickel, and aluminium.

The agency notes that despite the growth, the situation for North Korean citizens has not improved, as Kim spends the new revenues on armaments and the development of ballistic technology. The United Nations states that this country is one of the most impoverished in the world, with a large part of its population suffering from deficiencies in food, medicine, and other necessities.

The Gross National Income amounted to 40.9 trillion won last year, which equates to about 25 billion pounds. "Meanwhile, Kim spends substantial funds on his missile program. Last year's missile tests cost about 1.3 billion Canadian dollars," said South Korean Defence Minister Shin Wonsik in an interview with Bloomberg.