Kim Jong-un: North Korea-Russia friendship has reached a historic peak and Pyongyang always stands by Moscow

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un described relations with Russia as “fraternal friendship” at a groundbreaking ceremony for a monument to the country’s dead in the Ukraine war, emphasizing that Pyongyang will always stand by Moscow.

The remarks were made in Pyongyang on Thursday, October 23, 2025, and are seen as the last public tribute to North Korean forces who fought alongside the Russian army in the Kursk region.

He added that the friendship between the two countries has been tested many times throughout history and has now reached its peak.

Kim Jong-un called military and political relations stable and progressing against the pressures of Western hegemony and tyranny, and said: “The years of military brotherhood that have ensured the long-term development of bilateral friendship with precious blood will continue unabated.”