North Korea and Russia to expand 'bilateral relations', Putin tells Kim

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Vladimir Putin told Kim Jong-un that their two countries would "expand the comprehensive and constructive bilateral relations with common efforts", Pyongyang's state media reported on Monday.

In a letter to the North Korean leader for Korea's liberation day, the Russian President said closer ties would be in both countries' interests, and would help strengthen the security and stability of the Korean peninsula and the Northeastern Asian region, North Korea's KCNA news agency said.