▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) sees off Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel at Pyongyang International Airport following the Cuban leader's visit to North Korea in 2018, in this photo on Nov. 7, 2018, from the Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

N Korea-Cuba

Cuban president congratulates N. Korea's Kim on reelection as top leader

SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has congratulated North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his reelection as the country's top leader and reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to strengthening ties with Pyongyang, the North's state media said Thursday.

"I affirm that I place high importance on relations with" North Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Diaz-Canel as saying in a message to Kim earlier this month.

"I once again affirm our commitment to expanding friendship, cooperation and solidarity between our two countries," the Cuban leader also said in the letter congratulating Kim on his reelection as president of the state affairs commission at a recent parliamentary session.

North Korea and Cuba, long-time allies, appear to be mending ties frayed by Cuba's surprise establishment of diplomatic relations with South Korea in 2024.

Kim and Diaz-Canel reportedly met while traveling to China in September last year to attend a military parade in Beijing.

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