Russian President Vladimir Putin told Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), that the two countries will "expand the comprehensive and constructive bilateral relations with common efforts," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday.

In a letter to Kim for DPRK's liberation day, Putin said closer ties would be in both countries' interests, and would help strengthen the security and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the Northeastern Asian region, KCNA said.

(With input from Reuters)