North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called Vladimir Putin his “closest comrade” while wishing him a happy birthday this week, presenting a contrast with his more cautious messages to Xi Jinping amid tense ties with China.

Pyongyang’s foreign ministry condemned NATO’s criticism of Iran and North Korea for supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in a statement that is part of efforts to expand Pyongyang’s global influence.

State media has hyped up this year’s agricultural output on a daily basis as farmers finish up the fall harvest, though doubts remain about