North Korea's Kim calls Putin 'closest comrade', terms relations between two countries 'eternal'

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a birthday congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who turned 72 on Tuesday (Oct 8), calling him "closest comrade". 

Kim said that the relations between both countries would be raised to a new level.

Since Russia began the Ukraine invasion in 2022, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened, a move that has worried the West.

Also read: Ukraine war: North Korean soldiers likely fighting alongside Russian troops, says Seoul

The North Korean leader on Tuesday said Pyongyang would speed up steps to make his country a military superpower with nuclear weapons.

Kim praised relations between both countries and said they had become "invincible and eternal", since Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing North Korean state media KCNA. 

"Meetings and comradely ties between us... will make a positive contribution to further consolidating the eternal foundation of the DPRK-Russia friendship," he added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

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This year, Russian President Putin and North Korean leader Kim signed an agreement, vowing that they would help each other in the event of "aggression" against either country - though it was unclear what would constitute aggression.

Meanwhile, Kim has also been accused of helping Russia in its war with Ukraine by supplying it with weapons in exchange for economic and technological assistance.

(With inputs from agencies)