North Korean leader Kim reaffirms support for Russia in Ukraine conflict, KCNA says
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North Korean leader Kim reaffirms support for Russia in Ukraine conflict, KCNA says
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russia’s top diplomat his country was ready to “unconditionally support” Moscow’s every effort to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was on a three-day visit to North Korea, which has provided troops and arms for Russia’s war with Ukraine. Kim met Lavrov in the eastern coastal city of Wonsan where the two countries’ foreign ministers held their second strategic dialogue. North Korea’s government has pledged to send about 6,000 military engineers and builders to help reconstruction work in Russia’s Kursk region. South Korea’s Defence Ministry reported to parliament that North Korea continued to supply artillery ammunition to Russia.
Item 1 of 3 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a meeting in Wonsan, North Korea July 12, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS
Summary Lavrov in North Korea for strategic dialogue following June 2024 defence treaty
Kim reaffirms ‘all measures’ by Russian leader to address Ukraine crisis
New estimate puts North Korea’s supply of artillery rounds at 12 million, report says
SEOUL, July 13 (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russia’s top diplomat his country was ready to “unconditionally support” Moscow’s every effort to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, state media reported on Sunday, as the two countries held high-level strategic talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was on a three-day visit to North Korea, which has provided troops and arms for Russia’s war with Ukraine and pledged more military support as Moscow tries to make advances in the conflict.
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Kim met Lavrov in the eastern coastal city of Wonsan where the two countries’ foreign ministers held their second strategic dialogue, pledging further cooperation under a partnership treaty signed last year that includes a mutual defense pact.
Kim told Lavrov the steps taken by the allies in response to radically evolving global geopolitics will contribute greatly to securing peace and security around the world, North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported.
“Kim Jong Un reaffirmed the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) is ready to unconditionally support and encourage all the measures taken by the Russian leadership as regards the tackling of the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis,” KCNA said.
Lavrov earlier held talks with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui in Wonsan, and they issued a joint statement pledging support to safeguard the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other’s country, KCNA said.
On Saturday, Russian media reported Lavrov described the two countries’ ties as “an invincible fighting brotherhood ” in his meeting with Kim and thanked him for the troops deployed to Russia.
Relations between Russia and North Korea have deepened dramatically during the last two years of the war in Ukraine, which started in February 2022, with Pyongyang deploying more than 10,000 troops and arms to Russia to back Moscow’s military campaign.
On Sunday, the intelligence arm of South Korea’s Defence Ministry reported to parliament that North Korea continued to supply artillery ammunition to Russia and has so far shipped about 12 million rounds, Yonhap news said.
The Defense Intelligence Agency, which made the report, could not be reached for confirmation.
An earlier estimate of artillery and rocket launcher ammunition was around 9 million rounds by a group of 11 U.N. member countries set up to track North Korea’s violation of past U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Kim’s government has pledged to send about 6,000 military engineers and builders to help reconstruction work in Russia’s Kursk region.
Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Paul Simao and Michael Perry
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China’s Xi sends congratulations to Suriname President-elect Simons
China’s President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Suriname’s President-elect. Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Suriname relations.
BEIJING, July 13 (Reuters) – China’s President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Suriname’s President-elect Jennifer Simons, Chinese state media Xinhua reported on Sunday.
Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Suriname relations and that he is willing to work with Simmons to promote greater development of the strategic partnership between the two countries, Xinhua reported.
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Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Tom Hogue
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Cambodia marks UNESCO recognition of Khmer Rouge sites as places of ‘peace and reflection’
The Tuol Sleng prison and Choeung Ek killing fields in Phnom Penh, and M-13 prison in Kampong Chhnang province were inscribed as “Cambodian Memorial Sites” The sites are a stark reminder of the atrocities committed under Pol Pot’s regime from 1975 to 1979. An estimated 1.7 million to 2.2 million people died, many from starvation, torture, or execution.
Item 1 of 3 Tourists visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum after the site was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List on July 11, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 12, 2025. REUTERS/Chantha Lach
PHNOM PENH, July 13 (Reuters) – Cambodia held ceremonies across the country on Sunday to celebrate UNESCO’s recognition of three former Khmer Rouge sites as World Heritage, honouring their transformation from centres of repression to places of peace and reflection.
The Tuol Sleng prison and Choeung Ek killing fields in Phnom Penh, and M-13 prison in Kampong Chhnang province were inscribed as “Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection” during a UNESCO meeting in Paris on Friday.
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“This is a model for the world, showing the long struggle of Cambodia, reconciliation, the spirit of national unity, finding justice for the victims and building peace,” said interim Culture Minister Hab Touch.
The Khmer Rouge sites mark Cambodia’s fifth World Heritage listing, and is the country’s first modern-era nomination and among the first globally tied to recent conflict.
The sites are a stark reminder of the atrocities committed under Pol Pot’s regime from 1975 to 1979, during which an estimated 1.7 million to 2.2 million people died, many from starvation, torture, or execution.
The Tuol Sleng prison, which held approximately 15,000 prisoners, is now a genocide museum.
Reporting by Chantha Lach; Editing by Michael Perry
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South Korean President’s Cabinet picks hit by plagiarism, staff mistreatment claims
Opposition parties have called for the withdrawal of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s picks to head the education and gender equality ministries. Ms Lee Jin-sook, nominated for education minister – a position that doubles as deputy prime minister, has been accused of plagiarising an earlier paper by her student while she was a professor. Ms Kang Sun-woo, a human development expert-turned-Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, who has been nominated as minister of gender equality, is also under scrutiny. She faces accusations of “gapjil”, allegedly mistreating staff at her legislative office.
The opposition parties have called for the withdrawal of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s picks to head the education and gender equality ministries.
SEOUL – South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s picks to head the education and gender equality ministries are facing allegations that have sparked calls for their withdrawal.
Ms Lee Jin-sook, nominated for education minister – a position that doubles as deputy prime minister, has been accused of plagiarising an earlier paper by her student while she was a professor.
According to a page-to-page analysis of Ms Lee’s paper and her student’s, released by main opposition People Power Party (PPP) Representative Joo Jin-woo, some of the nominee’s paragraphs exactly matched those written by her student.
He claimed that “about half of her paper had been copied off her student’s”.
“This isn’t your typical academic plagiarism. The education minister nominee abused her authority as a professor to rip off her student’s paper. This is easily a crime of abuse of power,” he added.
The PPP said Ms Lee committed serious ethical violations in the academic community and was unfit for the position.
Ms Lee, a professor of architecture, served as president of Chungnam National University in South Chungcheong province. She was part of Mr Lee’s presidential campaign, heading a committee for beating elitism in college education.
Representative Kang Sun-woo, a human development expert-turned-Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, who has been nominated as minister of gender equality, is also under scrutiny.
She faces accusations of “gapjil”, allegedly mistreating staff at her legislative office.
“Gapjil” is a Korean word that refers to abusive, arrogant or authoritarian behaviour from individuals in positions of power towards their subordinates.
Ms Kang replaced staff 46 times in a span of five years, which would mean she sacked a member of her staff nearly every month.
She allegedly made demands of them outside of their legislative support duties, such as asking them to do household chores for her.
Both nominees have denied the allegations.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea said the controversy surrounding the two was a “mere smear tactic” by the PPP.
The minor Korean Democratic Labor Party and the Reform Party have joined the PPP in urging the President to drop the nominations.
But the protest from the opposition parties will not necessarily sink the nominations. Earlier picks with scandals and controversies, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, were not withdrawn from consideration and ended up being confirmed. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Kim Jong-un reaffirms North Korean support for Russia in its war with Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered Moscow his full support for its war in Ukraine. He held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Wonsan, state media said. Lavrov expressed “sincere gratitude to Pyongyang” for its role in Kursk and support of Russia’s operation. The two sides “agreed” that the West was to blame for “the growing tension” on the Korean peninsula, Moscow said. The talks are the latest in a series of high-profile trips by top Moscow officials to North Korea as both countries deepen military and political ties amid Russia’s offensive against Kyiv. April, and admitted its soldiers had been killed in combat. Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to Russia’s KursK region to oust Ukrainian forces and has also provided the Russian army with artillery shells and missiles, Seoul has said.. Russia announced that it would begin twice-a-week flights between Moscow and North Korea ahead of Lavrov’s recent visit.
Lavrov’s visit to North Korea was the latest in a series of high-profile trips by top Moscow officials as both countries deepen military and political ties amid Russia’s offensive against Kyiv.
Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to Russia’s Kursk region to oust Ukrainian forces and has also provided the Russian army with artillery shells and missiles.
Moscow said Lavrov’s talks with Kim were held in a “warm comradely atmosphere.”
Lavrov expressed “sincere gratitude to Pyongyang” for its role in Kursk and support of Russia’s operation, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Moscow also said the two sides “agreed” that the West was to blame for “the growing tension” on the Korean peninsula.
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The ministry earlier posted a video on Telegram of the two men shaking hands and greeting each other with a hug.
It said the talks were held in Wonsan, a city on North Korea’s east coast where a massive resort was opened earlier this month — one of leader Kim’s pet projects.
Kim told Lavrov that Pyongyang was “ready to unconditionally support and encourage all the measures taken by the Russian leadership as regards the tackling of the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis”, KCNA said.
The North Korean leader also expressed a “firm belief that the Russian army and people would surely win victory in accomplishing the sacred cause of defending the dignity and basic interests of the country”.
He lauded Putin’s “outstanding leadership”, the report said.
Read moreNorth Korea orders ‘mass production’ of attack drones, raising concerns over Russia alliance
The two men otherwise discussed “important matters for faithfully implementing the agreements made at the historic DPRK-Russia summit talks in June 2024”, KCNA said, referring to North Korea by its official acronym.
Lavrov told Kim that Putin “hopes for continued direct contacts in the very near future”, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
He left Pyongyang and landed in Beijing on Sunday to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Foreign Ministers’ Council, TASS reported on its Telegram account.
‘Invincible alliance’
Ahead of Lavrov’s recent visit, Russia announced that it would begin twice-a-week flights between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Lavrov lauded Wonsan as “a good tourist attraction”, adding: “We hope it will be popular not only with local citizens, but also with Russians.”
KCNA also issued a statement on Sunday on the meeting between Lavrov and his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui, held a day earlier in the coastal city, saying that bilateral ties were becoming an “invincible alliance”.
Moscow “expressed its firm support for the DPRK side in its just efforts for defending the security of the state” during the meeting, KCNA said.
In return, Choe demonstrated “full sympathy and support for all the measures taken by the Russian government to remove the root cause of the Ukrainian conflict”.
TASS earlier reported that Lavrov thanked the “heroic” North Korean soldiers who have been deployed to aid Russia during the ministerial meeting.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said.
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North Korea only confirmed it had deployed troops to support Russia’s war in April, and admitted its soldiers had been killed in combat.
Both sides “emphasised their determination to jointly counter the hegemonic aspirations of extra-regional players, which are leading to escalating tensions in Northeast Asia and throughout the Asia-Pacific region”, Russia’s foreign ministry said.
The two heavily sanctioned nations signed a military deal last year, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)