Russian Students Celebrate Kim Jong Il’s Birthday With North Korean Songs and Praise

Students at a Chelyabinsk university marked the birthday of North Korea’s former leader, Kim Jong Il , in a gathering organized by the “Friendship Club with the DPRK,” Russian media outlet ASTRA reported on March 3.

The event, held on February 17, honored what North Korea calls the “Day of the Shining Star”—the birthday of Kim Jong Il, father of the country’s current ruler, Kim Jong Un.

During the gathering, one student delivered a report on Kim Jong Il’s life, praising his “perseverance and dedication.”

The students also watched a recorded video message from Alexander Mostov, head of the International Group for Solidarity with North Korea.

As part of the celebration, attendees sang the popular North Korean song “Song of the Whistle ” and discussed the 2024 cooperation agreement between Russia and North Korea, signed by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed a law ratifying the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with North Korea (DPRK).

The agreement, initially signed during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, was approved by the State Duma and the Federation Council before it received official ratification. The legal document was published on Russia’s official legal information portal.

According to the treaty, both parties commit to providing immediate military and other assistance if either country faces an armed attack.

Additionally, the agreement specifies that neither side will enter into agreements with third countries that are directed against the other, nor will they allow their territories to be used in ways that violate the sovereignty of the other.

Earlier, reports emerged that North Korea was receiving financial support, diplomatic leverage, oil, and food for sending its troops to fight against Ukraine.

According to Olena Guseinova, a researcher at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, North Korea has generated up to $5.5 billion through arms deals with Russia.