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North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un Sends Birthday Letter Pledging Invariable Support to Putin
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CNBC TV18•07-10-2026, 08:20
North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un Sends Birthday Letter Pledging Invariable Support to Putin
- •North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a birthday letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin pledging invariable support.
- •Kim praised Moscow's invasion of Ukraine as a sacred war of justice that will surely end in victory.
- •North Korea has emerged as a key ally to the Kremlin since 2022, supplying troops in exchange for economic and military tech.
- •South Korean intelligence estimates that thousands of North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in the ongoing conflict.
- •Relations between South Korea and Ukraine have faced strain following the disclosure of captured North Korean soldiers transferred to Seoul.
Key Questions Answered
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a birthday letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin pledging invariable support for Russia and hailing Moscow's war in Ukraine as sacred.
South Korea's spy agency estimated that around 2,000 North Korean troops were killed last year, with a more recent assessment putting the total number of killed or wounded at approximately 6,000.
Tensions arose after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that two captured North Korean soldiers had been transferred to Seoul's custody, an operation that was intended to remain confidential.
