North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a congratulatory message to Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith on his reelection as head of the ruling party. The gesture reaffirms the commitment to strengthen bilateral ties. It recalls their summit in Pyongyang last year and pledges expanded cooperation.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith on January 8 regarding his reelection as general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party's central committee. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), this came on the same day the party congress concluded with his reelection.
Kim described the reelection as an expression of the Lao ruling party members' and people's "high trust and expectation" toward Sisoulith. He pledged to expand cooperation between the two countries, recalling their summit talks in Pyongyang last year.
"I express confidence that the friendly, cooperative relations between our parties and countries, which have a long history and tradition, will further strengthen and advance across all sectors in the spirit of our agreement during our meeting in October last year in Pyongyang," Kim was quoted as saying.
The summit occurred on October 7, 2025, in Pyongyang to mark the 80th founding anniversary of North Korea's ruling party, where they agreed to bolster bilateral cooperation.
Meanwhile, Sisoulith replied last month to Kim's earlier message congratulating Laos on its 50th establishment anniversary. In his December 31 message, he called their October talks "an important landmark in deepening and widening the friendly ties between the two countries."
"I am firmly confident that the friendship and close cooperation (between North Korea and Laos) will bring practical benefits to the peoples of the two countries and contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the world," the Lao leader was quoted as saying.
These exchanges signal ongoing efforts to develop the traditional friendly relations between North Korea and Laos.
