North Korea and Russia declared 2015, which is the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, as "Friendship Year." The two countries have intensified their relationship, with goals to increase trading to $1 billion a year.
North Korea and Russia declared 2015, which is the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, as "Friendship Year." The two countries have intensified their relationship, with goals to increase trading to $1 billion a year.
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Cozy relations between North Korea and Russia aren't exactly new. After all, the Kim regime has long had ties to Russia. This photo from August 29, 2011 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows Russia's now Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev shaking hands with the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
Cozy relations between North Korea and Russia aren't exactly new. After all, the Kim regime has long had ties to Russia. This photo from August 29, 2011 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows Russia's now Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev shaking hands with the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
KNS/AFP/Getty Images
North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong is on an international trip this month spanning Belarus, Russia and Cuba. In Havana, Ri met with Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. The two Communist countries have maintained ties since 1960s. Cuban media reported that its president Raul Castro also received Ri.
North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong is on an international trip this month spanning Belarus, Russia and Cuba. In Havana, Ri met with Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. The two Communist countries have maintained ties since 1960s. Cuban media reported that its president Raul Castro also received Ri.
AP Photo/Liu Bin, Pool
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong stopped in Belarus last week. At a meeting in Minsk, Belarus and North Korean officials discussed the UN and the principles of non-interference, according to North Korean state media, KCNA. Ri is seen with Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei on March 9, 2015.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong stopped in Belarus last week. At a meeting in Minsk, Belarus and North Korean officials discussed the UN and the principles of non-interference, according to North Korean state media, KCNA. Ri is seen with Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei on March 9, 2015.
MAXIM MALINOVSKY/AFP/Getty Images
Rarely a week goes by where the North Korean state media doesn't trumpet its friendship with Syria's president Bashar al-Assad. A North Korean delegation visited him in Syria on March 8, according to KCNA. North Korea officials hailed Syria's standoff with the U.S. saying: "The hostile acts of the U.S. imperialists make the relations between Syria and the DPRK stronger."
Rarely a week goes by where the North Korean state media doesn't trumpet its friendship with Syria's president Bashar al-Assad. A North Korean delegation visited him in Syria on March 8, according to KCNA. North Korea officials hailed Syria's standoff with the U.S. saying: "The hostile acts of the U.S. imperialists make the relations between Syria and the DPRK stronger."
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Iran and North Korea have enjoyed a long-term partnership, raising concerns for the U.S. about advancing their nuclear and missiles program. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met with North Korean officials in Tehran on September 16, 2014.
Iran and North Korea have enjoyed a long-term partnership, raising concerns for the U.S. about advancing their nuclear and missiles program. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met with North Korean officials in Tehran on September 16, 2014.
BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images
North Korea's mass games, the annual spectacle, regularly features the flags of both North Korea and China. The two countries have been longtime historic allies since China came to the aid of North Koreans during the Korean War. However, some observers believe relations between the two nations have cooled recently.
North Korea's mass games, the annual spectacle, regularly features the flags of both North Korea and China. The two countries have been longtime historic allies since China came to the aid of North Koreans during the Korean War. However, some observers believe relations between the two nations have cooled recently.
IAN TIMBERLAKE/AFP/Getty Images
North Korea's friendships

Story highlights

Next month's visit to Moscow by the North Korean leader is off

This Victory Day marks the 70 years since the Soviet victory over Germany in World War II

Moscow CNN  — 

Never mind.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has backed out of next month’s visit to Moscow for World War II anniversary celebrations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

“We were informed of the decision via diplomatic channels,” Peskov said. “The decision is connected with North Korean domestic affairs.”

The visit was highly anticipated because it would have marked Kim’s first official foreign trip since inheriting the leadership of North Korea in late 2011.

He was to have met with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the May visit to coincide with Victory Day, marking the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Kim also could have had the chance to rub elbows with the heads of about 30 other governments, including the leaders of China, Cuba, India, Germany, Vietnam and Venezuela. This number represents about half the world leaders that Russia has said it invited to the celebrations.

Kim’s trip had been anticipated since late December, when Russian state media reported that Moscow had extended an invitation.

There was no further explanation, from Moscow or Pyongyang, as to why he wouldn’t head west.

Still, North Korea has a number of issues it’s been wrestling with for years. They include widespread poverty, its longstanding spat with neighboring South Korea and the United States, as well as its international isolation largely due to its controversial nuclear program.

And news about Kim’s non-visit comes a day after South Korean intelligence agents told lawmakers that Kim is ruling with an iron fist, having ordered the execution of about 15 senior officials so far this year.

CNN cannot independently confirm the executions detailed by Shin Kyung-min, a lawmaker with the New Politics Alliance for Democracy who attended the closed briefing. And the nature of the intelligence supporting the allegations was not immediately clear.

That said, North Korea is one of the most closed societies in the world.

And there’s little doubt that Kim is very much in charge. According to Shin, intelligence officials say the North Korean leader is ruling in an impromptu manner and does not countenance excuses or any views that vary with his own.

CNN’s Madison Park and Alla Eshchenko contributed to this report. CNN’s Matthew Chance reported from Moscow, and CNN’s Ed Payne and Greg Botelho wrote this story from Atlanta.