Kim, Putin reaffirm ties as anniversary marked; South Korean troops fire warning shots at North Korean soldiers

On 16 August 2026, North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Russia's Putin reaffirmed ties on Korean Liberation Day. Kim sent Putin a message, and Putin's telegram was answered by Kim, who said he expects a "more excellent future" in ties with Russia and, according to Al Arabiya, praised "unprecedented" relations. The Jerusalem Post's headline adds that Kim is sending Putin more troops.

South Korean troops fired warning shots at North Korean soldiers, according to i24NEWS. Separately, Trump posted a photo of his 2019 meeting with Kim at Panmunjom and said ties remain "great".