North Korean leader Kim sends message congratulating Putin on Russia Day

Seoul, June 11 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a message congratulating Russian President Vladimir Putin on Russia Day, the North's state media reported on Wednesday.

North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol "respectfully" conveyed Kim's message to the relevant official at the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Details of Kim's letter were not disclosed, but the message likely reaffirmed the North's commitment to advancing their bilateral relations based on the treaty signed by the two leaders in June last year, Yonhap news agency reported.

In his previous message to Putin on Russia Day last year, Kim called their bilateral ties "a strategic asset" for both countries, reaffirming the North's steadfast commitment to advancing the relationship "in line with the demands of the new era."

Russia Day is celebrated annually on June 12 to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) on June 12, 1990. This declaration marked the beginning of Russia's move towards independence from the Soviet Union. While sometimes mistakenly called Russia's Independence Day, it is officially the Day of the Adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty.

The First Congress of Peoples' Deputies of the RSFSR adopted the Declaration on State Sovereignty, which proclaimed the supremacy of the Russian Federation's Constitution and laws.

The holiday was initially named the Day of the Adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation.

In 1998, then-President Boris Yeltsin suggested the name "Russia Day," which was officially adopted in 2002.

Russia Day is a public holiday, and it's a day when the Russian president traditionally awards citizens for their accomplishments in various fields.

On Russia Day, the country traditionally holds festive concerts, open-air celebrations and sports events, with colourful fireworks in the evening around the country.

On this day, the State Awards ceremonies for outstanding achievements in the field of science and technology, literature, art and humanitarian activities is usually held in the Kremlin. In some Russian cities, like Veliky Novgorod, Izhevsk, Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk, Ulyanovsk, Ufa, and Tambov, June 12 is also celebrated as City Day.

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