According to KCNA, North Korea’s leader Kim talks with a Russian official on military cooperation.

The Russian vice minister of defense, Aleksey Krivoruchko, was greeted by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday. During their meeting, the two leaders talked about how crucial it is for their military to stand together more strongly in order to protect global justice and peace.

According to KCNA, Kim and Krivoruchko agreed that both nations’ security interests required military cooperation.

Kim was greeted by Russian President Vladimir Putin through Krivoruchko, and at the Thursday encounter, Kim expressed gratitude.

Other information on Krivoruchko’s delegation and the reason for the visit to North Korea was not included in the report.

Since their leaders met in the Russian Far East last year and inked a treaty on strategic partnership that includes a mutual defense pact in June during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, North Korea and Russia have increased their military cooperation.

Washington and Seoul have accused the two nations of engaging in a weapons trade to assist Russia bolster its arsenal of artillery and missiles for its conflict with Ukraine. These two nations reject such commerce.