North Korea's state media highlights strengthening ties with Russia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin welcomes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia, Sept. 13, 2023. TASS-Yonhap

North Korea's state news agency has established an archive of articles on the country's ties with Russia in the latest sign of their growing cooperation following a rare summit last year.

A banner that reads "North Korea-Russia friendly ties reach historic turning point" on the website of the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) leads to a page carrying 13 articles on summits between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the website Tuesday.

After holding their first summit in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok in April 2019, Kim and Putin held another summit at Russia's Vostochny spaceport in September 2019.

The two nations have since been strengthening cooperation in various fields amid suspicions that Pyongyang has provided weapons to Moscow for its use in Russia's war against Ukraine.

An official at South Korea's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs called the move "very unusual," saying it shows how much the North is prioritizing its relationship with Russia.

Last month, the KCNA reported on a visit by Russia's foreign intelligence chief in an apparent display of deepening cooperation between the two countries, considering that such visits are usually not made public. (Yonhap)