In his New Year letter to the Russian leader, Kim Jong Un praised their close bilateral ties. Relations between Pyongyang and Moscow have deepened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Pyongyang and Moscow have strengthened their political, military, and cultural ties since Russia’s invasion of UkraineImage: Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP/picture alliance
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday called Vladimir Putin his “dearest friend and comrade” in his letter to the Russian president praising the close ties between the two countries.
Kim sent New Year greetings “to the fraternal Russian people and all the service personnel of the brave Russian army on behalf of himself, the Korean people and all the service personnel of the armed forces of the DPRK,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, using an acronym of the North’s formal name.
He also expressed his readiness “to design and push ahead with new projects” after their “meaningful journey in 2024.”
North Korea’s troop deployments to 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 defeat neo-Nazism and achieve a great victory.”
Seoul and Washington have accused Pyongyang of sending tens of thousands of troops to help Russia fight Ukraine.
North Korean troops are experiencing mass casualties on the frontlines of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Biden administration said last week.
At least 1,000 North Korean troops have either been killed or wounded last week alone in Russia’s Kursk region — where Ukrainian troops have been holding territory since this summer — White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/north-koreas-kim-calls-putin-his-dearest-friend-and-comrade/a-71188484