US Warns Russia–North Korea Pact May Breach Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty

By Staff, Agencies

A recent US government report has raised concerns that Russia’s expanding cooperation with North Korea under a new defense agreement may violate international nuclear nonproliferation commitments.

The report, released by the US State Department as part of its annual assessment on arms control compliance, points specifically to the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed between Moscow and Pyongyang in June 2024.

Ratified by both countries in November, the treaty outlines deepened collaboration in areas such as nuclear energy, artificial intelligence and space.

However, under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT]—which both Russia and North Korea are parties to—nuclear-armed states are prohibited from helping non-nuclear weapon states acquire nuclear weapons.

The State Department warns that civil nuclear cooperation between Russia and North Korea “could implicate” Moscow’s obligations under the NPT, especially in light of North Korea’s continued violations of International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] safeguards.

The report emphasizes that despite North Korea’s 2003 declaration of withdrawal from the NPT, it remains subject to IAEA obligations. It cites “significant concerns” over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons activities, including ongoing production of fissile material, uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing.

Satellite monitoring suggests North Korea’s 5 MW(e) reactor at the Yongbyon complex was shut down for several weeks between August and October 2024—potentially to allow refueling and preparation for reprocessing.

Meanwhile, North Korean state media released images of leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a previously undisclosed uranium enrichment facility and overseeing construction aimed at expanding capacity.

Although North Korea has not conducted a nuclear test since 2017, the report warns that its Punggye-ri test site remains operational and ready for use. US intelligence believes Pyongyang has continued to produce nuclear material throughout 2024.

In response to North Korea’s weapons development and deepening ties with Moscow, the US expanded sanctions on the regime and intensified coordination with allies, including South Korea and Japan. After Russia vetoed a United Nations panel responsible for sanctions monitoring, the US and ten other nations launched a new multilateral body to fill the gap.

The report also raises alarm over North Korea’s biological weapons capabilities. Despite its 1987 accession to the Biological Weapons Convention, the DPRK has failed to submit any confidence-building reports since 1990.

The State Department concludes that North Korea maintains a national-level offensive biological weapons program, with the potential to develop and deploy agents using advanced techniques such as CRISPR gene editing and unconventional delivery systems.

The findings underscore US concerns that North Korea’s growing cooperation with Russia could undermine global efforts to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.