North Korean Leader Praises His Country's Alliance with Russia

SadaNews - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised North Korea's alliance with Russia in a public speech commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese colonial rule, according to official North Korean media.

The Korean Central News Agency quoted Kim as saying: "Today, the friendship between North Korea and Russia has developed into an unprecedented alliance and has become

more robust amid their joint struggle to curb the revival of neo-Nazism and to protect sovereignty, security, and international justice."

The North Korean leader added that Pyongyang and Moscow are "making history" in their fight for global peace and stability, pointing out that: "The power resulting from the solidarity of North Korea and Russia is formed by noble ideas and true friendship... without limits."

According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, this is the first time Kim has delivered a public speech on the anniversary of August 15.

Kim did not mention South Korea or the United States in his speech, but he complained about the "increasing malicious actions by imperialists" that violate the sovereignty and rights of other countries.

Yonhap reported that several Russian guests attended the ceremony, including Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Russian parliament.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on Wednesday that Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call earlier in the week to "continue closer contact in the future."

Moscow and Pyongyang signed a strategic partnership in 2024 during Putin's visit to North Korea. The agreement includes military assistance in the event that one of the countries is attacked.

North Korea has supported Russia's war against Ukraine by supplying Moscow with weapons and soldiers.