DPRK's top leader meets Russian defense chief in Pyongyang

SEOUL - Kim Jong-un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Friday met visiting Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang, the DPRK's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views and reached a consensus on further developing the comprehensive strategic partnership, defending the sovereignty, security, and interests of the two countries, and international justice to cope with the rapidly changing regional and international security environment, the KCNA reported.

Kim, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, expressed his "great concern" over the development of the Ukraine situation, the KCNA said.

The decision by the United States and some other Western countries to allow Kiev to attack Russian territory with their own long-range strike weapons is tantamount to direct military intervention, the DPRK leader said, noting that "it is an exercise of the right to self-defense for Russia to take resolute action to make the hostile forces pay a price," according to the KCNA report.

Kim added that the DPRK will "invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity", said the report.

"The strong DPRK-Russia relations serve as a powerful security device for promoting the well-being of the two peoples, defusing the regional situation and ensuring international strategic stability," Kim was quoted by the KCNA as saying.

The DPRK leader also expressed the willingness to expand and develop the bilateral ties in all fields ranging from politics to economic and military affairs based on the agreement reached at the bilateral summit in Pyongyang in June, the report said.

Also on Friday, the DPRK's Defense Minister No Kwang-chol and Belousov had a meeting in Pyongyang, during which the two sides reached a consensus on strengthening cooperation by thoroughly implementing the agreements made by the top leaders of the two countries, the KCNA said in another report also released on Saturday.

The treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries plays a stabilizing role in northeast Asia, said the Russian defense chief, who expressed the willingness to further expand the mutually beneficial cooperation against the backdrop of a complicated international situation, said the KCNA report.