In this pool photo distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a welcoming ceremony at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024. AFP-Yonhap
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory letter to Russian President Vladamir Putin ahead of Russia's national day this week, its state media said Thursday.
The message was "courteously conveyed to an official concerned of the Russian Foreign Ministry by Sin Hong Chol, DPRK's ambassador to the Russian Federation," the North's Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, without further elaborating.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
North Korea and Russia have been bolstering their ties since June 2024, following the "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty signed between their leaders.
