North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin to mark his birthday on Monday.
The Tuesday edition of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Kim sent the message to congratulate the Russian president on his 72nd birthday.
Kim reportedly called Putin his “closest comrade” in the message. Kim also reportedly referred to the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by the two leaders when Putin officially visited North Korea last June.
The treaty includes a clause of mutual defense assistance if either country is attacked.
The article said Kim is looking back on the time when the two developed the traditional ties between the countries into “invincible alliance relations and eternal strategic relations,” stressing that bilateral ties have become increasingly close recently.
An article by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said the North’s ties with China have cooled relatively, in contrast to its deepening cooperation with Russia.
It said Kim’s message to Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2019 to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties addressed Xi as “respected.”
But the news agency said the latest message, sent on Sunday to celebrate the 75th anniversary, did not contain the phrase.