N.Korea leader Kim Jong Un congratulates Putin on re-election

By Cynthia Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin for his re-election, saying Pyongyang would work together with him to further develop bilateral relations.

“I will firmly join hands with you as we meet the demands of the times to provide a new turning point for the Russian-DPRK (North Korea) friendship that has long historical roots and traditions, and push forward to build a strong nation,” KCNA reported Kim as congratulatory remarks sent to Putin.

Putin won a record post-Soviet landslide in Russia’s election on Sunday, cementing his already tight grip on power in a victory he said showed Moscow had been right to stand up to the West and send its troops into Ukraine.

Both Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Putin on Monday, as both Pyongyang and Beijing have strengthened ties with Russia since the start in 2022 of its full-scale war with Ukraine.

The United States has accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery shells and missiles used in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang deny the accusations and pledged last year to deepen military relations.