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| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shakes hands with an official after being-re-elected as chairman of the North's state affairs commission. / Yonhap |
By Yi Whan-woo
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his re-election as chairman of the North's state affairs commission, the country's highest position.
According to a Kremlin press release, Sunday, Putin sent a congratulatory letter after Kim was re-elected during a session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly.
"I am confident that your activities in this top state position will continue to facilitate friendly and neighborly relations between our countries and peoples and will help strengthen peace and security on the Korean Peninsula," Putin wrote.
"I would like to reaffirm our readiness for joint work on topical matters of the bilateral and regional agenda. I sincerely wish you success, sound health and prosperity."
The message came amid speculation that a summit between Kim and Putin is imminent.
Putin has invited Kim to Russia, according to the Kremlin.
On April 11, Japan's Asahi Shimbun reported they will soon meet in the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok.
Kim is believed to be stepping up efforts to enhance ties with Putin to gain diplomatic leverage over the United States, following the Hanoi summit collapse between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in late February.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping also sent a congratulatory message on Kim's re-election, emphasizing the friendly ties between the two countries.
Kim was first elected to the post in June 2016, when the commission was created through an amendment to the constitution.
The plenary meeting unveiled a personnel reshuffle, which experts saw as an effort to strengthen the lineup of Pyongyang's nuclear negotiating team in preparation for talks with Washington.
