Analysts: North Korea's ties with Russia elevate danger to itself

In addition to technologies Kim might want to further advance Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, North Korea will receive about $200 million from Moscow for its troop deployment, according to an estimate from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. “North Korea is not necessarily wanting to back away from the relationship at the moment because it’s given a lifeline as well as a hedge partner against China,” said Samuel Ramani, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. Kim is “willing to commit almost anything that Putin is willing to ask him to do at this point,” Ramani said.