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| ▲ This image, published by the Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holding hands during a meeting on July 12, 2025. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This image, published by the Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) holding a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and other Russian officials on July 12, 2025. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This image, published by the Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2025, shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on July 12, 2025. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) NK leader-Russia
(2nd LD) N. Korea's Kim reaffirms unconditional support for Russia in Ukraine war: KCNA
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details from Russia's media report in paras 11-14)
By Park Boram
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his unconditional support for all of Russia's actions in its war against Ukraine as he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the North's state media reported Sunday.
Kim made the remarks in a meeting with Lavrov on Saturday, a day after the Russian minister flew to North Korea for his second round of strategic talks with his North Korean counterpart, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
During the talks, Kim and Lavrov discussed the faithful implementation of the agreements reached during Kim's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang in June last year, as well as ways to further develop the two countries' strategic partnership, the KCNA said.
Kim "reaffirmed that the DPRK is ready to unconditionally support and encourage all the measures taken by the Russian leadership as regards the tackling of the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis" in line with the North Korea-Russia mutual defense treaty, the KCNA said.
DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The KCNA also quoted Kim as saying that "the two countries share the same views on all strategic issues in conformity with the level of (their) alliance and it shows the high strategic level established between the two countries."
Lavrov praised the strategic communication between the two countries in diplomatic fields, expressing his intention to "further strengthen the strategic and tactical cooperation and intensify concerted action ... in the international arena," according to the report.
The meeting reaffirmed the determination of the North Korean and Russian leaderships to "closely support and cooperate with each other in the journey for thoroughly safeguarding the core interests of the two countries (and) powerfully promoting the overall development of bilateral ties" under their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, the KCNA said.
The KCNA also reported that Lavrov conveyed Putin's "warm greetings" to Kim, who reciprocated with thanks and his own friendly greetings to the Russian president.
An earlier Russian news report on the Kim-Lavrov meeting said that the Russian minister delivered Putin's message expressing hope for direct contact with Kim in the very near future.
In a meeting with Kim, Lavrov expressed Russia's "sincere" gratitude for the North's role in liberating the front-line Kursk region from Ukraine forces, Russia's Tass news agency reported, citing a statement from the Russian foreign ministry.
"The Russian side expressed its sincere gratitude for Pyongyang's consistent support in principle of the Russian special military operation, and the participation of fighters from the Korean People's Army in ousting Ukrainian nationalists and foreign mercenaries from the Kursk Region," the statement showed.
Since October last year, North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. Russia's media reported the North will send 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Kursk to support reconstruction efforts.
Lavrov and Kim agreed tensions on the Korean Peninsula have grown due to an increase in the United States' military activities while reaffirming commitment to resolving issues related to the peninsula through "political and diplomatic means," Tass reported.
Meanwhile, the KCNA carried a statement from the strategic dialogue held the previous day between North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Lavrov.
The statement reaffirmed the two countries' "unwavering" commitment to advancing North Korea-Russia relations into long-term strategic ties by faithfully implementing the mutual treaty.
In the statement, Russia expressed "firm opposition" to any arbitrary attempts to deny North Korea's "current status," voicing unwavering support for Pyongyang's efforts to defend its national security and sovereign rights, while North Korea expressed unconditional support for all Russian actions in its war against Ukraine.
"It has been confirmed that the two sides' assessments of the current complex international situation are identical," the statement said, pledging joint efforts to strengthen strategic communication and coordinate their shared stance.
Aboard a private jet, Lavrov arrived in North Korea's eastern coastal city of Wonsan on Friday for a three-day trip through Sunday. Both of his meetings with Kim and Choe took place at the newly opened Kalma beach resort area in Wonsan.
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