Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a press conference after he votes in the presidential elections at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, on Jan. 26. (EPA via press service of the president of Belarus)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a press conference after he votes in the presidential elections at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, on Jan. 26. (EPA via press service of the president of Belarus)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a rare public message congratulating Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on securing his seventh term, demonstrating closer ties between two staunch supporters of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Kim’s message notably came weeks after Pyongyang dismissed Lukashenko’s claim that North Korea had proposed a summit as baseless, yet it simultaneously signaled openness to such engagement.

Kim's message to Lukashenko, sent Monday and disclosed Tuesday by North Korea’s state media, was brief — just two sentences expressing his congratulations and hopes for stronger bilateral ties.

“Availing myself of this opportunity, I express my expectation that the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and the Republic of Belarus would develop in conformity with the interests of the peoples of the two countries,” an English-language letter read. The DPRK stands for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

According to a database from the Unification Ministry, this marks the first time Kim has sent a congratulatory letter to the Belarusian leader, who has been in power since 1994. Lukashenko was reelected on Jan. 27, drawing international criticism that the election was neither credible nor transparent.

What stands out even more is that Kim’s message appeared on the third page of Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea — a departure from North Korea’s usual practice of featuring the leader’s activities on the front page.

For instance, Rodong Sinmun placed Kim’s congratulatory message to To Lam, general secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party, on the front page of its Monday edition to mark the party’s 95th founding anniversary.

Kim's congratulatory message to Lukashenko came more than two weeks after his sister, Kim Yo-jong, publicly dismissed his Jan. 17 remarks — published by the Belarusian presidential office — claiming that five Eastern countries, including North Korea, had invited Belarus for summit meetings to discuss cooperation.

In a statement issued through the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 20, Kim Yo-jong denied any such initiative, saying, “There is no such thing, at least, as far as I know.”

Kim further acknowledged Belarus’ long-standing interest in engaging with North Korea at the highest level, noting that Minsk had been seeking top-level contact for at least two years.

Despite rejecting Lukashenko’s claim, Kim reaffirmed North Korea’s willingness to engage with Belarus under the right conditions, calling on Belarus to “clarify its intention correctly.”

North Korea and Belarus have strengthened ties amid Russia’s prolonged war in Ukraine, reinforcing their alignment with Moscow and sparking concerns over the possible emergence of a trilateral alliance among North Korea, Belarus and Russia.

Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Shestakov visited Pyongyang in April 2024 and met with North Korean Vice Minister Im Chon-il to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, including enhancing high-level exchanges and visits and promoting cooperation in economic fields.

Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov also flew to Pyongyang in July 2024 and met North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, Minister of External Economic Relations Yun Jong-ho and then-Premier Kim Tok-hun.