Exchange of letters between Pyongyang and Moscow, committed to strengthening cooperation

2023-08-15 22:53:37, Kosova & Bota CNA

Exchange of letters between Pyongyang and Moscow, committed to strengthening

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged letters on Tuesday in which they pledged to strengthen relations between the two countries, which leader Kim described as a "long-term strategic relationship," the state news agency reported. Pyongyang, KCNA.

The exchange of letters comes as it marks the 78th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule from 1910-1945, which is also known as a national holiday in South Korea.

In his letter to President Putin, the North Korean leader states that the friendship between the two countries was established in the Second World War with the victory over Japan and is now "showing itself to be completely unbreakable and proof of the strength of the two countries in the fight for destroying the arbitrary practices of the imperialists," the KCNA news agency reported.

"I am fully convinced that friendship and solidarity ... will be further strengthened into a long-term strategic relationship in line with the requirements of the new era," leader Kim was quoted as saying in the letter.

The United States has accused North Korea of ??supplying Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine. Pyongyang and Moscow have rejected the accusations.

Washington remains "deeply concerned" about North Korea's assistance in Russia's aggression in Ukraine and believes Moscow is seeking to increase its cooperation with Pyongyang, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Tuesday.

"Any sort of security cooperation or arms deal between North Korea and Russia would certainly violate a number of UN Security Council resolutions," Mr Patel said during a press conference.

In another development, the KCNA news agency reported that Pyongyang's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong criticized the United States for calling a UN Security Council meeting on the human rights situation in North Korea.

The meeting, set for Thursday and requested by the United States, Albania and Japan, would be the first official public meeting of the 15-member council on the issue since 2017, but China opposed it, saying it only would "intensify the confrontation"./ VOA