North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called Vladimir Putin his “dearest friend and comrade” in a letter to the Russian president on Tuesday, praising the close ties between the two countries.
Kim sent New Year greetings “on his own behalf, to the Korean people and to all service personnel of the armed forces of the DPRK”, to the brotherly Russian people and to all service personnel of the valiant Russian military. The agency (KCNA) reported using the short form of the North’s formal name.
He also expressed his readiness to “design and pursue new projects” after a “meaningful journey in 2024”.
North Korean army deployment in Russia
In a possible reference to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Kim wished that 2025 would be the year when “the Russian army and people will defeat neo-Nazism and win a great victory.”
Seoul and Washington have accused Pyongyang of sending thousands of troops to help Russia fight Ukraine.
The Biden administration said last week that North Korean troops are suffering mass casualties on the front lines of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters that at least 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in the past week alone in Russia’s Kursk region — where Ukrainian troops have held the area since this summer.
Close ties between Russia and North Korea
The two countries have strengthened their political, military and cultural ties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In June, Putin and Kim signed a historic defense agreement during the Russian leader’s visit to North Korea.
The treaty calls for each party to provide immediate military assistance if the other is attacked.
ess/lo (AFP, Reuters)