SEOUL, August 16. /TASS/. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui welcomes the strengthening of strategic and tactical cooperation between North Korea and Russia, according a congratulatory telegram sent to her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on the occasion of the anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese colonial domination.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Choe Son-hui emphasized, "that she is happy to strengthen strategic and tactical cooperation between states in the struggle to protect the sovereignty and security of countries, global peace and stability." She also "expressed confidence in the further development of cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries," the news agency said.

The top diplomat also pointed to "the traditionally friendly and good-neighborly relations between the two countries, which have helped and supported each other in difficult times, and are now entering a new period of blossoming thanks to the historic Korea-Russia summit in Vladivostok." Lavrov also sent congratulations to his counterpart, the news agency noted.

Choe Son-hui added that the heroic deeds of the Red Army soldiers who participated in the liberation of the Korean Peninsula "are still praised by the Korean people." On Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un exchanged congratulatory telegrams on the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the peninsula.

August 15 marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula, which coincided with Japan's surrender in World War II. On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito of Japan delivered a radio address to his subjects in which he acknowledged that the country could no longer continue the war and had to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.