Leaders say the allies are ‘absolutely demonstrating their invincibility’ and pledge to bolster safety ties as US accuses Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Moscow.
North Korea chief Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged letters pledging to develop ties into what Kim referred to as a “long-standing strategic relationship”.
The letters mark the 78th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule, which can be celebrated as a nationwide vacation in South Korea.
In his letter to Putin on Tuesday, Kim mentioned the 2 international locations’ friendship was solid in World Warfare II with victory over Japan and is now “absolutely demonstrating their invincibility and may within the battle to smash the imperialists’ arbitrary practices and hegemony”, state information company KCNA mentioned.
“I’m firmly satisfied that the friendship and solidarity … will likely be additional developed right into a long-standing strategic relationship in conformity with the demand of the brand new period,” Kim was quoted as saying within the letter.
“The 2 international locations will at all times emerge victorious, strongly supporting and cooperating with one another in the middle of reaching their frequent purpose and trigger.”
America has accused North Korea of offering weapons to Russia for its conflict in Ukraine, together with artillery shells, shoulder-fired rockets and missiles. Pyongyang and Moscow have denied any arms transactions.
‘Deeply involved’
Moscow and Pyongyang – each more and more remoted from the West and weighted with sanctions – have drawn nearer for the reason that Kremlin deployed troops to Ukraine and commenced large-scale hostilities final yr.
Final month, Russia’s defence minister stood shoulder to shoulder with Kim as they reviewed North Korea’s latest nuclear-capable missiles and assault drones at a navy parade within the capital Pyongyang.
Washington stays “deeply involved” about North Korea aiding Russia’s conflict effort in Ukraine and believes Moscow is in search of to extend its cooperation with Pyongyang, US Division of State Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel mentioned.
“Any type of safety cooperation or arms deal between North Korea and Russia will surely violate a collection of UN Safety Council resolutions,” Patel mentioned at an everyday information briefing.
Putin, in his message to Kim, additionally pledged to bolster bilateral ties.
“I’m certain that we’ll strengthen the bilateral cooperation in all fields for the 2 peoples’ well-being and the agency stability and safety of the Korean peninsula and the entire of Northeast Asia,” Putin mentioned in an announcement distributed by the Kremlin.
The leaders of South Korea, the US and Japan are set to debate safety cooperation over North Korea, Ukraine, and different points at a trilateral summit on Friday at Camp David.
‘Ugly hostile face of the US’
In a separate KCNA dispatch, Pyongyang’s vice overseas minister, Kim Son Gyong, criticised the US for calling a UN Safety Council assembly on North Korea’s human rights state of affairs.
The assembly, set for Thursday and requested by the US, Albania and Japan, could be the primary formal public gathering of the 15-member council on the difficulty since 2017. However China opposed it saying it might solely “intensify confrontation and antagonism”.
Kim, the vice minister, mentioned the deliberate assembly “brazenly uncovered the ugly hostile face of the US crammed with a way of confrontation”, whereas highlighting the fact of the council that has “fallen into dysfunction below the US’s pressured authority and abuse of energy”.
