North Korea has accused the United States of fuelling tensions in the Taiwan Strait through arms sales and military support for Taipei, as leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed Pyongyang’s backing for Russia in a birthday message to President Vladimir Putin.
In a commentary carried by state news agency KCNA, North Korean international affairs analyst Kim Myong Chol said U.S. policy on Taiwan was “undermining peace and stability in the region” and defended Beijing’s “One China” position.
The piece condemned the recent delivery of U.S.-made F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan, warning Washington to “think twice whether it is ready to stand in frontal confrontation with the powerful national power of the People’s Republic of China for the security of Taiwan and whether it can cope with its consequences.”
The first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 jets ordered by Taiwan in 2019 arrived on the island last week, as Taipei braces for growing pressure from Beijing, which claims the democratically governed territory as its own.
In a separate KCNA report, Kim Jong Un sent a birthday telegram to Putin, calling him his “dearest friend” and vowing to keep expanding the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.
Kim said he was convinced that Russia’s “sacred war of justice” to defend its sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity would end in victory, and assured Putin of his “unwavering support.”
The message did not explicitly mention Ukraine, but North Korea is estimated to have sent 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia’s war effort since 2024, according to Ukrainian and South Korean assessments.
Pyongyang has also supplied Moscow with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, as well as ballistic missiles and long-range rocket systems, further deepening ties after Putin and Kim signed a mutual defence pact in June 2024.
