Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and Chairman of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin were part of the Russian delegation that visited North Korea. Belousov and Volodin negotiated with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on a new defense cooperation agreement that will be valid until 2031. Military, political, and economic cooperation between the two countries has intensified amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Pyongyang has previously offered military support to Moscow. "We have agreed with the North Korean Ministry of Defense to place our military cooperation on a stable foundation. We are ready to sign a plan for Russian-Korean military cooperation for the period 2027-2031 this year, a long-term foundation," Belousov said. Moscow and Pyongyang have already signed a mutual defense agreement in 2024. According to media reports, during the visit of the Russian delegation to North Korea, videos released showed destroyed Western military equipment on display. It is reported that vehicles supplied by NATO and used in Ukraineโ€”such as the Leopard 2A4, AMX-10, and M1117โ€”were seen in the background, likely provided by Russia for the exhibition. Belousov also presented military awards to North Korean soldiers who fought against Ukrainian forces in Russia's border region of Kursk. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has erected a monument in Pyongyang to his soldiers killed in the fight against Ukraine. On the occasion of the monument's unveiling, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram thanking Kim Jong-un and the soldiers for their efforts to help Russia regain control of the Kursk region. Details of casualties among North Korean troops fighting for Russia are not available, but South Korea estimated last September that up to 2,000 soldiers had been killed.