N Korea-Russia defence treaty comes into force

SEOUL, Dec 05 (AFP): A landmark defence pact between North Korea and Russia, signed by its leaders in June, has gone into effect after the two sides exchanged ratification documents, North Korea's official KCNA news agency said Thursday.
The formalization of the treaty comes as the United States and South Korea have accused the nuclear-armed North of sending more than 10,000 soldiers to help Russia fight Ukraine.
Experts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is keen to acquire advanced technology from Moscow and battle experience for his troops in return.
Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the strategic partnership deal during the Kremlin chief's visit to Pyongyang.
It obligates both states to provide military assistance "without delay" in the case of an attack on the other, and to jointly oppose Western sanctions.
It came into effect from Wednesday, when the ratification documents were exchanged in Moscow by the countries' vice foreign ministers Kim Jong Gyu and Andrei Rudenko, KCNA reported.