Russian Language Appears on North Korean Postal Stamps for the First Time

North Korea’s new postal stamps, set to be issued on January 20, include Russian among the languages used in their descriptions for the first time, South Korean media outlet Yonhap reported on January 10.

The Korea Stamp Corporation’s website showcased a release notice displaying images of four upcoming stamps, accompanied by descriptions in Korean, English, Chinese, and Russian, as well as an order form.

This marks a shift from past practices from previous practices, as even a 2015 stamp series commemorating the ‘Year of Friendship’ between North Korea and Russia did not include Russian text.

Analysts see this move as a clear indicator of closer cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, especially after their leaders signed a mutual defense treaty.

Since then, North Korea has reportedly sent thousands of troops to aid Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine and has bolstered military and economic collaboration with its northern neighbor.

Additionally, North Korea recently published stamp albums celebrating its ties with Russia and China.

Notably, the Russian-themed album received a lower numerical code than the Chinese one, fueling debates over whether Pyongyang may now favor its relationship with Moscow over its long-standing alliance with Beijing.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed at the 25th Ramstein meeting that North Korea has already lost 4,000 troops—killed or wounded—in the ongoing war against Ukraine.