▲ Two men hold up a portrait of Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea leader Kim Jong-un, which Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, prepared to send to Kim as a gift, in this photo from Zakharova's Telegram account. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo from the Telegram account of Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, shows a vase that Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to have sent to Zakharova as a gift. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Russian official-N Korea

Russian official exchanges New Year's gifts with N.K. leader's sister

MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- The spokesperson of Russia's foreign ministry said Tuesday that she and the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have exchanged New Year's gifts, as Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened their partnership on security, diplomacy and other fronts.

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson, said in a post on Telegram, a messaging app, that she received a gift from Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the North's ruling Workers' Party Central Committee, via North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol, and that she sent a portrait of Kim in return.

Zakharova posted a photo of the portrait painted by Nikas Safronov, a prominent artist, along with a photo of a large vase that appears to have been sent by Kim.

In the post, she said that though she is not personally acquainted with Kim, she and Safronov thought that the portrait illustrated what appeared to be "incompatible but essential" attributes: tenderness and femininity, along with strength and determination.

The exchange of gifts came as Russia and the North have been strengthening their cooperation since Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty during their summit in Pyongyang in June 2024.

This month, the leaders of the two countries also exchanged New Year's greetings.

In his message, the North Korean leader described bilateral relations as a "precious common asset," noting that this year was a "meaningful" one in which the two countries "steadily wrote a great biography of the alliance" through "full mutual support and selfless encouragement," according to Pyongyang's state media.

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