North Korean foreign ministry praises PM Orbán for anti-EU stance

North Korea recently praised Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Viktor for his bold stance against the European Union, as highlighted in his October 23 address defending Hungary’s sovereignty. In a statement on its Foreign Ministry’s website, North Korea echoed Orbán’s criticism of EU interference, signalling an unlikely nod of approval from the reclusive state. This rare acknowledgement reflects North Korea’s interest in anti-EU sentiments amid its own growing alignment with Russia.

North Korea praises Orbán in a statement

It appears North Korea, led by Kim Jong Un, has taken note of Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Viktor’s rhetoric against the European Union, going so far as to praise him, Népszava spotted. In a statement released Saturday on the North Korean Foreign Ministry’s website, Orbán’s comments on defending Hungary’s sovereignty caught the regime’s attention, leading to an unusually favourable response.

The statement references Orbán’s October 23 address, where he criticized the EU’s influence, asserting Hungary’s sovereignty against increasing European pressure. According to North Korea, Orbán emphasised that the European Commission and the European People’s Party have targeted his government in an attempt to eliminate independent Hungarian politics. The EU, he argued, treats member states as mere administrative districts, but Hungary would resist any attempts to turn it into a Brussels-controlled satellite. “Hungary is unafraid of imperialist threats and will not tolerate becoming a puppet or subject state,” the statement paraphrased.

Find the whole statement in English below:

“Prime Minister of Hungary, in a commemorative event, clarified his country’s stand to defend sovereignty of the country in the face of the ever-growing pressure of the European Union. He said that the European Commission and the Group of the European People’s Party are in a plot to overthrow Hungarian government and end Hungarian independent politics. He mentioned that Brussels does not need to exist as it dictates its will upon EU member states regarding them as its own administrative district and that it is only proper that EU respect the sovereignty of European countries. Hungary is not afraid of threats from imperialism and will show no tolerance to being reduced to a puppet state and a subject state of Brussels, he said and stressed Hungary’s determination to fight for freedom.”

The statement did not mention Orbán by name

Interestingly, the Pyongyang Foreign Ministry’s release omitted any mention of Orbán by name, referring only to “Hungary’s Prime Minister.” It also left out references to Hungary’s 23 October national holiday, which commemorates the 1956 uprising against Soviet occupation. The statement, issued in Korean, English, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish, used broad language rather than direct quotes.

Orbán’s speech also included sharp remarks about EU interference in Hungary’s internal politics. He claimed that “the puppet government has already been chosen,” with the EU allegedly supporting a particular party and candidate to serve its interests. According to Orbán, while his government stands firm for Hungarian independence and interests, the Hungarian opposition has willingly aligned itself with the EU’s “imperial agenda.”

The foreign ministry’s statement comes just days after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov praised Orbán’s approach to foreign policy, highlighting Orbán’s commitment to an “independent position” that stands apart from the “contradictory and short-sighted” policies of EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell.

North Korea, meanwhile, has been in international headlines recently for its intercontinental ballistic missile tests and its support of Russia in the war against Ukraine.

Read also:

• Political summit in Budapest: Western leaders to gather for historic meeting
• Kremlin spokesperson praises Orbán’s “independent and constructive” approach

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