N Korea's Kim and Putin vow to deepen partnership in Beijing talks

SEOUL: North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin have pledged to strengthen their partnership during talks in Beijing, with North Korean leader pledging full support for Russia's army, , state media KCNA reported on Thursday. 

The meeting was held on the sidelines of a grand military parade hosted by China’s President Xi Jinping to mark the formal surrender of Japan in World War Two in Beijing.

The pair joined Chinese President Xi Jinping at a massive military parade, marking the first such gathering of the three countries’ leaders since the early days of the Cold War.

Kim’s Beijing trip gave him his first chance to meet Putin and Xi together, as well as mingle with more than two dozen other national leaders who attended the events.

State media photos showed Kim standing or walking with Putin and Xi side by side, smiling.

“Comrade Kim Jong Un and President Putin exchanged candid opinions on important international and regional issues,” KCNA said.

Putin “highly praised” North Korean soldiers fighting against Ukraine and said relations between the two countries were “special ones of trust, friendship and alliance”, according to KCNA.

North Korea has sent soldiers, artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

South Korea’s intelligence agency estimated this week that some 2,000 North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia have been killed.

It believes North Korea plans to send another 6,000 troops, with about 1,000 combat soldiers already in Russia.

Kim and Putin discussed in detail their long-term partnership plans and reaffirmed their “steadfast will” to strengthen bilateral relations, KCNA said.

Last year, the two leaders signed a mutual defence treaty, which calls for each side to assist the other in the event of an armed attack.