Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have sent each other messages marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
The North Korean leader had said that the bilateral relations had developed on the basis of the "principle of mutual respect, good neighborliness and mutual benefits," the South Korean Yonhap news agency reported, citing an official message carried by the North Korean state-run KCNA news agency.
Kim also expressed hope that the ties between Moscow and Pyongyang would develop in line with the interests of the peoples of Russia and North Korea.
Putin, in turn, also underlined the continuing development of Russian-North Korean constructive relations.
"For the past decades the Russian Federation and [North Korea] have accumulated lots of experience in the course of constructive cooperation in various fields," Yonhap cited Putin as saying.
The Russian president also expressed hope that the two countries would continue strengthening their relations, including a trilateral program with Seoul, which will help increase stability on the Korean Peninsula.
