North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reiterated his 'unshakable will' to develop relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kim, who described the recent summit in Pyongyang as a 'historic event,' sent a congratulatory message to Xi on the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In the message announced by state news agency KCNA on Wednesday, Kim said, 'The unshakable attitude of our party and government is to steadily develop the North Korea-China friendly relations, which have long and historical roots and are based on socialism.'
Kim said, 'The recent Pyongyang summit was a historic opportunity that deepened the comradely friendship and trust between us,' and stated that the two leaders once again confirmed that they have 'unshakable will' to advance bilateral relations.
According to South Korea's official Yonhap news agency, Xi's visit to Pyongyang on June 8-9 was the first trip by a Chinese leader to North Korea in about seven years.
Kim also emphasized in his message that the North Korea-China relations are 'a common heritage of the two peoples.' During the summit, the two leaders reportedly adopted a document described by North Korean state media as 'a comprehensive plan' to strengthen the 'most powerful and strategic relations.'
According to Chinese state media, Xi pushed for closer cooperation with North Korea in diplomatic, law enforcement, and military fields during the visit.
Although North Korea has developed an extremely close relationship with Russia in recent years and sent thousands of troops to the Ukraine war, China remains the country's largest economic partner. According to data from South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance, about 98 percent of North Korea's foreign trade in 2024 was with China.
Ukraine and South Korea Discuss North Korean Prisoners of War
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun in Seoul on Tuesday. According to Yonhap, the two ministers discussed bilateral relations as well as the situation of North Korean prisoners of war captured in Ukraine.
Yonhap reported that two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces in 2025 have expressed a desire to defect to South Korea if released.
The South Korean government has stated that it considers North Korean soldiers 'constitutionally South Korean citizens' and that Seoul 'will accept prisoners who wish to come to South Korea.'
According to Yonhap, a senior South Korean Foreign Ministry official said that Seoul and Kyiv have already 'reached a basic understanding' on prisoners of war, and it was hoped that these discussions would be advanced during the Ukrainian minister's visit.
