Russian FM lauds N. Korea's troop deployment, pledges closer ties in Liberation Day letter

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, welcoming North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, left, ahead of a meeting in Moscow, Russia, July 20. EPA-Yonhap

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has lauded North Korea's military support for Russia's war against Ukraine and vowed to further deepen bilateral ties, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday.

Lavrov made the remarks in a letter to his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son-hui, marking the 81st anniversary of Korea's Aug. 15 liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

He recalled that Russia and North Korea fought together to defeat "Japanese militarism in 1945" and helped hasten the end of World War II, it said.

Lavrov then praised North Korea's support for Russia's war against Ukraine, calling the North's troop deployment to the Kursk region clear proof of the "militant friendship forged by the heroic preceding generations," the KCNA reported.

The letter described Moscow and Pyongyang as "now fighting on the same front" to build a new global order based on multipolarity and national sovereignty, and expressed confidence that the two countries would continue "boosting cooperation in a multifaceted way in the future."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin also exchanged letters to mark the occasion, according to previous KCNA reports.

In his message Friday, Putin said bilateral relations had reached an unprecedented level as a "comprehensive strategic partnership."

The two countries were "actively cooperating in all the sectors while making concerted efforts to ensure the regional security and stability," he said.

Kim responded the following day, vowing to carry "forward the history of common struggle for justice and precious traditions of friendship."

North Korea and Russia have deepened mutual ties since June 2024, when the two leaders signed a mutual defense pact that laid the groundwork for North Korea's military support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.