Kim, Putin reaffirm ties as anniversary marked; South Korean troops fire warning shots at North Korean soldiers

North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he was "proud" to be able to expect future bilateral relations with Russia, according to state news agency KCNA. Kim reportedly added he had a "firm belief" that Russia would thrive and defend its "territorial integrity" under Putin's "wise leadership."

The North Korean leader was replying to a message of congratulations from Putin marking Saturday's 81st anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. The Russian leader said the bond was forged as Soviet soldiers fought against Japan and that cooperation would continue "in all the sectors".

The exchange follows Ukraine's accusation this month that Moscow launched North Korean ballistic missiles in a strike that killed at least nine people and wounded dozens. Kyiv has also said up to 50,000 North Korean troops are due to deploy to Russia, though it has provided no evidence or timeframe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Seoul to supply air defense systems in response, a request that has gone unanswered.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung called for talks with North Korea aimed at peaceful coexistence, telling Seoul's Liberation Day ceremony that the two Koreas need safeguards to prevent conflict and should work to replace their armistice with a "peace regime." Pyongyang has rejected the sentiment and criticized US-South Korean military exercises as provocations.

This all comes as the South Korean military fired warning shots last week after multiple North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line in the eastern front-line area, prompting them to return to their side,

according to Yonhap News Agency citing a government source. It marked the South Korean military's first warning shots this year in response to a North Korean crossing, with no prior violations reported in 2026.