NK's Kim meets visiting Russian defense minister, Duma speaker amid stronger military ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with the speaker of Russia's lower house and the defense minister in Pyongyang on Sunday, foreign media reports said, reaffirming the close military alliance between the two nations. Kim met Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who visited the country to attend the opening ceremony of a memorial museum honoring soldiers killed while fighting for Russia in its war with Ukraine, according to Russia's Tass news agency. During the meeting, Volodin conveyed Russian President Vladimir Putin's congratulations on Kim's reelection as chairman of the State Affairs Commission. He also expressed gratitude for North Korea's "fraternal support" for Russia, saying: "We jointly honor the memory of those heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of our homeland. This is truly a gesture from a friend," according to Tass. Bilateral ties between Kim and Putin "have become key to building the future, especially during the most difficult times," Volodin added. North Korea was set to open the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats in Overseas Military Operations in Pyong