What did Kim Jong-un say in his birthday letter to Vladimir Putin?

Kim Jong-un pledged to steadily expand North Korea’s comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance with Russia. He also expressed his invariable support for Putin and Russia.

When did North Korea and Russia sign their mutual defense pact?

Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin signed the mutual defense pact in June 2024. The agreement established a comprehensive strategic partnership and provided the basis for expanded cooperation between the two countries.

How has the North Korea-Russia pact affected their cooperation?

The pact laid the groundwork for North Korea’s military support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. It also formalized the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance-oriented relationship.

N. Korea's Kim vows to deepen 'strategic' ties with Russia in letter to Putin

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Summary

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to deepen his country’s strategic partnership with Russia in a birthday letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Kim expressed unwavering support for Putin and Russia and said he expected Russia’s war to defend its sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity to end in victory. He emphasized his personal bond with Putin and cited the bilateral mutual defense pact signed in June 2024.

Key Facts

Kim described the comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance with Russia as the North Korean government’s steadfast policy and his unshakable choice.
Kim opened the letter by calling Putin “my dearest friend” and ended it by saying, “I warmly embrace you, my dear comrade.”
The June 2024 mutual defense pact laid the groundwork for North Korea’s military support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 7, 2026 8:08 am KST

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin upon his arrival in Pyongyang, June 19, 2024. Courtesy of the North's Korean Central News Agency

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday pledged to deepen his country's strategic partnership with Russia in a birthday letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pyongyang's state media reported.

"I am pleased to have good friendship with you and open up a new chapter for the development of the relations between our two countries," Kim wrote, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"It is the steadfast policy of the DPRK government and my unshakable option to attach importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance forged with the fraternal Russian Federation and to steadily expand and develop the joint work," he said. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

Kim also pledged his "invariable support" for Putin and Russia. He said he was convinced that "the Russian people's sacred war of justice" to defend their country's "sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity" would end in victory.

Kim stressed his personal bond with Putin, opening the letter with "my dearest friend" and closing with "I warmly embrace you, my dear comrade."

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.

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