NORTH KOREA said today that it has agreed to further strategic and tactical co-operation with Russia to establish a “new multipolarised international order,” as the two countries work to build a united front in the face of their separate, intensifying tensions with the United States.

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has also reaffirmed his willingness to visit Pyongyang and said that could come at an “early date.”

The North Koreans have been actively strengthening ties with Russia, highlighted by leader Kim Jong Un’s September visit to Russia for a summit with President Putin. 

In a separate statement on Sunday, the North’s Foreign Ministry condemned the United Nations security council for calling an emergency meeting over the country’s latest ballistic test, which local media described as a new intermediate-range solid-fuel missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead. 

The ministry said that the test-firing on January 14 was among the country’s regular activities to improve its defence capabilities and that it didn't pose a threat to its neighbours.

South Korea on Thursday urged the security council “to break the silence” over North Korea’s escalating missile tests and threats.

Russia and China have blocked US-led efforts to increase sanctions on North Korea over its recent weapons tests.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui told her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in meetings last week that her country wanted to “further strengthen strategic and tactical co-operation in defending the core interests of the two countries and establishing a new multipolarised international order.”

Russia expressed “deep thanks” to North Korea for its “full support” over its war on Ukraine, the North Korean ministry said. 

The ministry said Ms Choe and Russian officials expressed “serious concern” over the US’s expanding military co-operation with its Asian allies that they blamed for worsening tensions in the region and threatening North Korea’s sovereignty and security interests.