North Korea's Kim says he's proud of strong Russia ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday that he was "proud" of the strong ties between their nations, responding to a letter from the Russian leader that highlighted deepening cooperation. The exchange of messages, reported by North Korean state media, comes amid continued international concern over Pyongyang's military support for Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Kim's message, released on August 16, was a reply to a congratulatory letter from Putin sent on August 15 to mark the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. "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, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. He expressed a "firm belief" that Russia would thrive under Putin's leadership. In his message, Putin stated that relations between the two countries had reached an "unprecedentedly high level of comprehensive strategic partnership" and that they were "actively cooperating in all the sectors" to ensure regional security.