North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged messages reaffirming their bilateral ties on Korean Liberation Day, according to Reuters.
The exchange took place on Sunday, August 16, 2026, marking the annual holiday that commemorates the end of Japanese colonial rule over Korea in 1945. Reuters reported that the two leaders used the occasion to underscore the strength of their relationship.
The Times of India, citing a message from Kim to Putin, reported that the North Korean leader expressed pride in the current state of North Korea-Russia relations. The specific wording of that message was not detailed in the available reporting.
In a separate report, Reuters noted that Putin has said Russia and North Korea are coordinating on regional security matters, according to North Korean state media KCNA. This coordination is part of a broader alignment between the two countries that has deepened in recent years.
The leaders' messages come amid a period of heightened international attention on their partnership. Both nations have faced isolation from Western powers, and their cooperation has expanded across diplomatic and security fronts. The Korean Liberation Day exchange is the latest in a series of public affirmations of their alliance.
Also on the occasion, Kim and Putin attended a ceremony in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, according to a photo caption from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.
Watch for further statements from either government on the scope of their regional security coordination in the coming weeks.
