Kim Jong Un pledges Putin support, KCNA says

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised “invariable support” for Russia in a letter to President Vladimir Putin, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday.

KCNA quoted Kim as saying he was convinced Russia would win what he called the present “sacred war” and that he promised support to Putin and the Russian people.

Kim also said North Korea wanted to expand and deepen joint work with Russia “in a comprehensive way,” using North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The letter came amid speculation that Pyongyang is preparing to send more troops to Russia to support Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Analysts say North Korea has become a key ally of the Kremlin since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, sending troops to support Moscow's war effort in return for economic benefits and military technology.

South Korea's spy agency estimated last year that about 2,000 North Korean troops had been killed in the war. A more recent assessment put the number of North Korean soldiers killed or wounded at around 6,000.

Kyiv has said up to 50,000 North Korean troops are due to deploy to Russia, but it has not provided evidence for the claim or a timeframe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked South Korea to supply air defence systems to protect against Russian missiles, a request that has gone unanswered by Seoul.