SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to solidify the country’s comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, according to a letter he sent to President Vladimir Putin on December 30, as reported by state media KCNA on December 31.
In his message, Kim extended New Year greetings to Putin and all Russians, including their troops, and expressed his commitment to further enhancing bilateral ties through new projects. Kim and Putin have elevated their relationship to new heights this year, KCNA noted.
Kim wished that 2025 would be recorded as the first year of victory in the 21st century, with the Russian army and people defeating neo-Nazism and achieving a great victory, as stated by the Korean Central News Agency.
In June, Kim and Putin signed a mutual defence treaty, committing each country to aid the other in case of an armed attack. North Korea has since dispatched tens of thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, with reports from Seoul and Washington indicating that over a thousand North Korean troops have been killed or wounded.