N. Korea's Kim urges extensive promotion of relations with Russia: KCNA

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has met with Russia's visiting natural resources minister and called for "more extensive and diversified" promotion of cooperative relations between their countries, state media reported Tuesday.

The previous day, Kim met with Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Alexander Kozlov, who led a government delegation to North Korea for the 11th meeting of the countries' intergovernmental committee for cooperation in trade, economy, science and technology, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

During the meeting, Kim appreciated the bilateral solidarity and cooperation that have been closer and deepened in different fields since the conclusion of a new treaty between the countries, the KCNA said.

"It is necessary to mutually and powerfully propel the co-prosperity and development of the two countries by further promoting the intergovernmental trade, economic, scientific and technological exchange and cooperation in a more extensive and diversified way," Kim said.

He noted their countries' friendly and cooperative relations have reached "a new strategic level."

Since the delegation led by Kozlov arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday, working-level discussions have been under way in areas related to the intergovernmental cooperation committee for trade, economy, science and technology.

North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military and other cooperation since Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new partnership treaty in June in Pyongyang that includes a mutual defense clause. (Yonhap)