North Korea said Friday it has established full diplomatic relations with South Sudan, the new African country that gained independence in June.

The diplomatic accord was signed this week in Ethiopia between Kim Hyok-chol, North Korea's ambassador to Ethiopia, and Arop Kuol Deng, South Sudan's envoy to Addis Ababa, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report.

North Korea and South Sudan "agreed to open their diplomatic ties ... on the basis of the principle of respect for sovereignty, equality, reciprocity and non-interference," the KCNA said.

South Korea established diplomatic ties with South Sudan in July. Seoul's defense ministry sent a second fact-finding mission to South Sudan this month to decide whether to station peacekeeping forces there.

South Korea is under U.N. pressure to send peacekeeping troops to help restore social stability in South Sudan. Without due law enforcement power in place, the country is struggling to maintain social order. (Yonhap News)