Top Stories 26/03/31 North Korea, Russia news agencies unite to counter 'information wa

[성기화 요셉]

Both nations have signed a deal to jointly counter what they call disinformation by their "many enemies"

This picture taken on March 30, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 31 shows Jo Yong-won (right), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), meeting with Russian news agency TASS director general Andrey Kondrashov (left) at the Pyongyang Assembly Hall in Pyongyang. (Photo: AFP)

By AFP, Seoul

Published: March 31, 2026 06:30 AM GMT

Updated: March 31, 2026 06:33 AM GMT

North Korea's state news agency and Russian counterpart TASS have agreed to counter jointly what they call "disinformation" delivered by their "many enemies", the outlets reported Tuesday, in a further deepening of ties.

Western governments have long accused Russia of spreading false information online as well as in traditional media, and both countries rank near the bottom of the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

North Korea has also sent thousands of troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine as well as munitions, with Moscow providing financial aid, military technology, food and energy to the isolated nuclear-armed nation in return.

"The courage and willingness for self-sacrifice that both soldiers and officers of the Korean People's Army demonstrate today are already inscribed in modern history," TASS quoted its director general Andrey Kondrashov as saying in Pyongyang.

"Everyone understands that today we are fighting modern Nazism together," Kondrashov said.

The English-language report cited him as adding, without direct quotes, that "many enemies do not like this, and this is why information campaigns had been launched against Russia and North Korea to spread fakes."

The agencies' updated cooperation agreement signed on March 28 covers "joint counteraction to disinformation on both a bilateral and multilateral basis," TASS added.

"The agreement... is based not only on long-term friendship, but also takes into account the completely new realities of today's information war that is taking place on our planet," Kondrashov said.

North Korea's foreign minister Choe Son Hui welcomed Kondrashov and his delegation, KCNA reported on March 31. On March 30 it said that the deal covered "exchanges of news articles" and "cooperation", without giving details.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranked North Korea second last in its 2025 press freedom index -- Russia was 171 out of 180 -- saying the "regime strictly prohibits independent journalism."

South Korea estimates that around 2,000 North Korean troops, thought primarily to have been deployed in Russia's Kursk region -- where Ukraine launched an incursion in 2024 -- have been killed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last visited North Korea in 2024, while Kim Jong Un's most recent trip to Russia is thought to have been the year earlier.

Improved ties have also allowed North Korea to lessen its reliance on its traditional main backer China, analysts say.