Why North Korea’s Kim Jong-un is hailing ‘invincible’ Russia ties in new year message

In his new year message, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un praised troops fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, a move observers said pointed to Pyongyang’s intention to sustain and deepen military cooperation with Moscow into 2026. The emphasis on Russia came as Seoul and Beijing confirmed plans for a state visit next week, with analysts noting that North Korean state media played down Chinese President Xi Jinping’s new year greeting while highlighting Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s message in...