North Korea’s shifting satellite allegiance to Russia signals China’s waning influence

Appearing to lead ‘axis’ including Moscow, Pyongyang and Tehran does not appeal to Beijing, analysts say after Putin and Kim sign treaty

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, visited North Korea last month where he signed a “treaty on the comprehensive strategic partnership” with Kim Jong-un, right, during the trip. Photo: KCNA via KNS/AFP

Published: 12:00pm, 9 Jul 2024Updated: 4:16pm, 9 Jul 2024

Pyongyang’s recent switch from a Chinese to a Russian satellite to broadcast its state television highlights Beijing’s weakening influence over North Korea, analysts say.

Closer ties between Pyongyang and Moscow could be a “burden” for Beijing, which does not want to be portrayed as the “leader of an axis,” they said.

Meanwhile North Korea and Russia have stepped up their diplomatic and military collaboration on the Ukraine war.

According to global TV and radio satellite data intelligence website LyngSat, North Korean state-run broadcasters, such as Korean Central Television, started transmitting its overseas broadcast through a Russian satellite, Ekspress 103, from June 20, leaving ChinaSat 12 satellite by July 1.

A South Korean ministry of unification official announced on Monday that North Korea had switched the transmission of its state TV broadcasts from a Chinese to Russian satellite, complicating the monitoring of Pyongyang’s broadcasts.

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Putin, Kim sign ‘strongest ever’ defence treaty amid growing tensions with the West

Government agencies and media in Seoul have monitored North Korean state media, which is one of the limited outbound sources of information from the reclusive state.