Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, sent a reply message to Bashar Al-Assad, president of the Syrian Arab Republic, on Nov. 1.

The message said:

I express my deep thanks to you for sending warm congratulations on the occasion of the 79th founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

Expressing belief that the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two parties and two countries would grow stronger, I, availing myself of this opportunity, extend invariable support and solidarity to the Syrian people in their just struggle to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.