SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin he was "proud" of their countries' strong ties, state media reported Sunday, after providing military support for Moscow's war against Ukraine.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, North Korea has become a key ally of the Kremlin, sending troops to support Moscow's war effort in return for economic benefits and military technology, analysts say.
"I am always proud to be able to expect more excellent future of the bilateral relations by leading, together with you, the DPRK-Russia ties that has carried forward the history of common struggle," Kim said in his letter to Putin, according to an English-language dispatch by the official Korean Central News Agency.
DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim added that he had a "firm belief" that Russia would thrive and defend its "territorial integrity" under Putin's "wise leadership".
In a letter to Kim delivered on Friday to mark Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule at the end of World War II, Putin said relations between the two countries had reached the "unprecedentedly high level of comprehensive strategic partnership".
"Our states are actively cooperating in all the sectors while making concerted efforts to ensure the regional security and stability," the Russian leader said.
The exchange of letters follows Ukraine's accusation this month that Moscow had launched North Korean ballistic missiles in a strike that killed at least nine people and wounded dozens.
Kyiv has also recently said that up to 50,000 North Korean troops are due to deploy to Russia, although it has provided no evidence to back the claim or a timeframe for the deployment.
In making the claim, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Seoul to supply air defence systems to protect against Russian missiles, a request that has gone unanswered by the South.