PYONGYANG: North Korea ratified a major defense pact with Russia, committing both nations to mutual military assistance in the event of an attack on either side, state-run media reported on Tuesday. According to Anadolu Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed the decree on Monday. "The 'Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation' signed in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024, was ratified as a decree of the President of the State Affairs of the DPRK," the agency stated in its brief report. The treaty will become effective upon the mutual exchange of ratification instruments by both parties. This development follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's signing of a law on Saturday, ratifying the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with North Korea. The agreement, signed on June 19, obliges both nations to provide military aid in the event of aggression by a third country. Furthermore, it aims to foster a comprehensive partner ship based on mutual respect for state sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality, and non-interference in domestic affairs. The US, South Korea, and Ukraine have alleged that North Korea dispatched troops to Russia to assist in the conflict against Ukraine. However, Pyongyang has yet to confirm these allegations. Additionally, Seoul previously claimed that Pyongyang supplied millions of artillery shells to Russia to support Moscow in the ongoing war in Ukraine.