North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was “proud” of his country’s relationship with Russia in a letter addressed to President Vladimir Putin, according to Pyongyang’s official news agency, a few days after Ukraine accused North Korea of preparing to send troops to Russia again to support its forces in the war.
North Korea became directly involved in Russia’s war with Ukraine by sending troops and weapons to the Kursk region.
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“I am always proud to be able to look forward to an even brighter future for our bilateral relations,” Kim said, “guiding, together with you, the relations between the DPRK and Russia, which continue the history of our common struggle for justice and the precious traditions of bilateral friendship,” according to the text released by KCNA.
The North Korean leader reaffirmed his support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, expressing his conviction that his ally will prevail under “wise leadership” of Vladimir Putin.
Putin had sent a letter to Kim Jong-un on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation. In his message, he expressed satisfaction with the “high-level,” “unprecedented” bilateral relationship. He referred to a “comprehensive strategic partnership.”
Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened their ties since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war following Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused North Korea of preparing to send between 30,000 and 50,000 troops to support the Russian armed forces, without specifying how he obtained these figures or providing a timeline.
On Tuesday, he also claimed that Russia had launched deadly strikes on his country using North Korean ballistic missiles.
Zelensky urged South Korea to step up its cooperation with Ukraine, especially in the area of air defense systems. Seoul has not yet officially responded to Kyiv’s request.
