Pyongyang: A senior North Korean diplomat on Saturday reaffirmed strengthening ties with Russia to mark the seventh anniversary of the first summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu hailed the 2019 summit in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East in a statement on his ministry's website, saying it served as a "new turning point" in the development of bilateral relations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Jong-gyu emphasized the progress made since the 2019 summit, highlighting the friendly and cooperative relations developed between the two peoples. He noted the significance of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed during another summit in Pyongyang in June 2024, which elevated the relations to a "high level of alliance."
The official also pointed out North Korea's deployment of troops in support of Russia's efforts in Ukraine, describing it as evidence of the "enduring nature of the firm alliance and militant friendship" between the two countries. He reiterated North Korea's commitment to advancing the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with Russia to a new higher level.
Following the 2019 summit, Kim Jong-un visited Russia again in 2023, where he engaged in discussions with Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East. These discussions preceded their 2024 summit in Pyongyang, further solidifying the ties between the two nations.