According to President Vladimir Putin, the rapprochement of relations between Russia and North Korea would strengthen the security and stability of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin has told the leader of North Korea to Kim Jong-unthat the countries’ “bilateral relations are expanded to comprehensive and constructive”.
North Korea’s state media KCNA reports on the matter.
Putin says in his letter to Kim that closer ties would benefit both countries. At the same time, the rapprochement of relations would strengthen the security and stability of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia, KCNA says.
Kim also sent Putin a letter saying that the friendship between Russia and North Korea was born in World War II with the victory over Japan, which occupied the Korean peninsula during the war.
“Strategic and tactical cooperation, support and solidarity” between the two countries has since reached a new level in their joint efforts to counter threats and provocations by hostile military forces, Kim said in the letter.
KCNA did not name these hostile military forces, but has typically used the term to refer to the United States and its allies.
Earlier, Kim predicted an increase in cooperation between the two countries when North Korea and Russia signed an agreement after the leaders met for the first time in Vladivostok, Russia in 2019.
In July, North Korea recognized the independence of two so-called people’s republics in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. At the same time, the authorities appointed by Russia raised the possibility that North Korean workers would be sent to the region for, among other things, reconstruction work.
Ukraine broke off diplomatic relations with North Korea immediately after the incident.