Seoul

North Korea on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening ties with Russia on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the first-ever summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kim and Putin held their first summit in the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok on April 25, 2019, and also met at Russia’s Vostochny spaceport in September last year, source reported.

It is the consistent stand of the DPRK government to attach utmost importance to the DPRK-Russia relations and invariably develop the tradition of deep-rooted friendship, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il said in a statement uploaded on the ministry’s website.

DPRK stands for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The official said the two nations have strengthened their cooperation and extended full support to each other on the common front to smash the military threats and provocations, and high-handed and arbitrary practices of the imperialists.

The DPRK-Russia relations rooted in comradeship and militant unity will steadily develop into invincible comradely relations and eternal strategic relations, Im said. Im also reiterated the North’s support for Russia in its war with Ukraine and pledged to stand aside the Russian military. Ties between Pyongyang and Moscow have significantly deepened following last year’s summit, spawning speculation over their arms deal for Russia’s use in the war.

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US Election Outcome Not To Change Direction Of South Korea-US Alliance

The overall direction of South Korea’s alliance with the US will not change no matter who wins the White House in November, as the breadth and depth of the alliance has never been greater, its top envoy to Washington said Thursday.

Ambassador to the US Cho Hyun-dong made the remark as attention is running high over what would be a rematch between the sitting US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump, and how its result will impact the future of the South Korea-US alliance, source reported.

Some have raised concern over the alliance’s prospects if Trump returns to the White House, given his unorthodox foreign policy that places less importance on the value of alliances.

At the moment, we have no idea how the US presidential election will turn out. Variables like the swing states, the middle-of-the-road voters and third candidates, are indicators that will determine the direction of the election, Cho said, addressing a press conference at the foreign ministry in Seoul.