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Russian official exchanges New Year's gifts with North Korean leader's sister

Published: 31 Dec. 2025, 11:39

Two men hold up a portrait of Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korea leader Kim Jong-un, which Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, prepared to send to Kim Yo-jong as a gift, in this photo from Zakharova's Telegram account. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The spokesperson of Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that she and the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have exchanged New Year's gifts, as Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened their partnership on security, diplomacy and other fronts.

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson, said in a post on Telegram that she received a gift from Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister and the vice department director of the central committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party, via North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol, and that she sent a portrait of Kim in return.

Zakharova posted a photo of the portrait — painted by Nikas Safronov, a prominent artist — and another of a large vase that appears to have been sent by Kim Yo-jong.

In the post, she said that though she is not personally acquainted with the North Korean leader's sister, she and Safronov thought that the portrait illustrated what appeared to be “incompatible but essential” attributes: tenderness and femininity, along with strength and determination.

A vase that Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, appears to have sent to Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, as a gift for the New Year [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The exchange of gifts comes as Russia and the North have been strengthening their cooperation since Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty during their summit in Pyongyang in June 2024.

This month, the leaders of the two countries also exchanged New Year's greetings.

In his message, the North Korean leader described bilateral relations as a “precious common asset,” noting that this year was a “meaningful” one in which the two countries “steadily wrote a great biography of the alliance” through “full mutual support and selfless encouragement,” according to Pyongyang's state media.

Yonhap