North Korea's Kim vows to expand ties with Russia, backs victory in 'sacred war' — SkimNews
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- Kim Jong Un sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday pledging to "expand and deepen" joint work and broaden cooperation with Russia "in a comprehensive way" based on friendship, mutual assistance, and alliance relations, per KCNA.
- Kim said he was convinced of Russia's victory in the current "sacred war for defending the security interests of the country and international justice" — language appearing to reference Russia's war in Ukraine — and pledged his "invariable support" for Putin and the Russian people.
- The message was a reply to Putin's congratulations for North Korea's 78th founding anniversary, which was marked on September 9.
- The exchange comes as Moscow and Pyongyang have drawn markedly closer, with North Korea sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine in 2024 and deepening military cooperation under a mutual defense pact.
- Kim also sent a similar message to Chinese President Xi Jinping published by KCNA on Sunday, saying North Korea would work with China to further develop their traditional friendship and advance their shared socialist cause.
Why it matters: Kim's explicit adoption of Moscow's own "sacred war" framing — rather than generic diplomatic support — signals Pyongyang is deepening rhetorical alignment with Russia's Ukraine campaign, building on the 2024 deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces under their mutual defense pact.
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