Kim Jong-un sends birthday message to Putin, praises 'close comradeship'

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Kim Jong-un sends birthday message to Putin, praises 'close comradeship'

Published: 08 Oct. 2024, 11:55 Updated: 08 Oct. 2024, 13:03

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang after signing a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in June. [RODONG SINMUN]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a birthday message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to him as one of his "closest comrades."

In the message, which Kim sent on Monday to mark Putin's 72nd birthday, Kim expressed that the “comradely ties” between North Korea and Russia will make a “positive contribution to further consolidating the eternal foundation of DPRK-Russia friendship and strategic cooperative relations," according to the Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday.

Kim also emphasized that the two countries’ relationship has developed into an "invincible alliance and eternal strategic relations" following Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June. “I fondly reminisce about that day when our friendship grew even stronger,” Kim said.

He reiterated North Korea’s full support for Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine, reaffirming its "selfless support and solidarity with the Russian Armed Forces."

The two countries have been deepening military cooperation, with suspicions that North Korea has provided conventional weapons to Russia to support its war efforts in Ukraine.

Kim's birthday message to Putin contrasts with the one he sent to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between North Korea and China.

This year’s exchanges between Kim and Xi were notably shorter and more restrained compared to their messages for the 70th anniversary in 2019. In 2019, Kim referred to Xi as the “respected comrade general secretary,” a title that was dropped this year.

The difference in tone between the two messages suggests that North Korea’s ties with China have cooled, while its cooperation with Russia has strengthened following the signing of a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" treaty during a June summit in Pyongyang.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]