North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a New Year’s greeting to Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing him as “dear friend” and praising the close bilateral relationship between their countries. This information was reported on Tuesday by North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened their political, military, and cultural ties. Both Putin and Kim have repeatedly highlighted their close personal relationship.
In June of this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea and signed a groundbreaking bilateral defense agreement with the country. The agreement was immediately implemented, and North Korea has since deployed over 10,000 soldiers to support Russia in its war in Ukraine.
According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un referred to Putin as a “dear friend and comrade” in his New Year’s message.
The message stated that Kim extended warm greetings to the fraternal Russian people and the courageous Russian armed forces on behalf of himself, the Korean people, and the North Korean armed forces.
Kim also expressed hope for meaningful relations and the initiation of new projects between the two countries in the coming year. On the Ukraine war, Kim Jong Un said that by 2025, the Russian military and people would achieve a great victory by defeating neo-Nazism.
The United States and South Korea have accused nuclear-armed North Korea of deploying 10,000 soldiers to Russia to assist in the war against Ukraine.
North Korea’s state media also reported that Vladimir Putin sent a similar message to Kim Jong Un, praising the bilateral relations between Russia and North Korea.