North Korea vows to expand relations with Russia on eve of summit anniversary

Kim Jong-un is seen at an undisclosed location in North Korea in this undated photo provided by the North Korean government, April 17. AP-Yonhap

North Korea vowed Sunday to continue to expand and develop relations with Russia on the eve of the third anniversary of a summit between leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kim and Putin held the summit in Russia's Far East city of Vladivostok, April 25, 2019. The third anniversary comes as the North stressed its friendly ties with Russia amid deepening tensions between Moscow and Washington in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Today, the DPRK-Russia relations, even in the face of challenges and pressure of the U.S. and its vassal forces, continue to develop and strengthen ... and are contributing to ensuring peace and security in the region and to establishing the international order based on independence and justice," the North's foreign ministry said in an article posted on its website.

"It is an invariable stand of the DPRK government to expand and develop in all fields the friendly and cooperative relations with Russia, our friend and friendly neighbor, according to the agreement reached at the historic DPRK-Russia summit meeting," the ministry said.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

It said that Kim's visit to Russia "was of a historic event that served as a turning point in putting the friendly ties between the two countries onto a new higher stage."

"After the historic Vladivostok DPRK-Russia summit, the long-standing relations of the DPRK-Russia friendship are developing more vigorously thanks to the special care of the leaders of the two countries," the ministry said. (Yonhap)