{
  "id": 6421704,
  "title": "Xi, Putin pledge closer ties with North Korea in anniversary messages",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/xi-putin-pledge-closer-ties-with-north-korea-in-anniversary-messages-6421704",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T13:07:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20260909/xi-putin-pledge-closer-ties-with-north-korea-in-anniversary-messages"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to enhance their relationship with North Korea in congratulatory letters addressed to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the country's 78th founding anniversary, according to state-run media. Xi commended various development achievements in North Korea under Kim's emphasis on economic and social progress, as reported by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Xi emphasized that China's party and government firmly support strengthening and advancing China-DPRK relations, as per KCNA. He stated that his visit to Pyongyang in June marked a new era in bilateral ties and pledged to collaborate on accelerating the progress of both nations' party and state affairs. China has traditionally been North Korea's largest trading partner, and experts suggest the country continues to assist Pyongyang in evading stringent economic sanctions. However, relations had reportedly cooled in recent years.",
  "summary": "Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to strengthen ties with North Korea in congratulatory letters sent to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the country's 78th founding anniversary, state-run media said Wednesday. Xi praised a series of \"development successes\" in North Korea spurred by Kim's focus on \"economic and social construction,\" the North's official…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Xi, Putin pledge closer ties with North Korea in anniversary messages",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/xi-putin-pledge-closer-ties-with-north-korea-in-anniversary-messages",
        "published": "2026-09-09T12:52:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}