Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has met with the head of Russia’s Security Council in Pyongyang and vowed to deepen the bilateral ties between the two countries, state media said on Saturday.
The meeting came on the anniversary of a rare summit between Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year at the Vostochny Cosmodrome space centre in Russia’s Amur region, during which Kim pledged his “full support” for Moscow, Yonhap news agency reported.
During their talks on Friday, Kim and Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Moscow’s Security Council, had a “wide exchange of views on the issues of steadily deepening the strategic dialogue between the two countries and strengthening cooperation to defend the mutual security interests and on the regional and international situation,” according to state media KCNA.
The two sides reached a “satisfactory consensus” on the presented issues, it added.
Kim also stressed their bilateral relations in politics, economy and culture were developing dynamically following his summit talks with Putin in June.
He vowed to continue expanding cooperation with Russia in the spirit of a partnership treaty signed between the two leaders during their June summit, which includes a mutual defence clause.
Russia’s Security Council said on Friday that Secretary Shoigu discussed bilateral and international issues with North Korean officials.
The Council also said the talks will make an important contribution to the implementation of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The treaty, signed in June during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea, pledges mutual military support in a contingency.
On Friday, North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister issued a statement to mark one year since the summit between Kim and Putin at a space centre in Russia’s Far East.
The statement said that North Korea is committed to cooperating with its strategic partner Russia and to developing bilateral relations on a permanent basis.
The US alleges that Pyongyang is providing ammunition and other military supplies to Russia to be used for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, and in return is seeking assistance in military technology and energy.
–IANS