Seoul:North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed his commitment to strengthening ties with Vietnam in response to a letter from Vietnamese President To Lam. The correspondence was reported by Pyongyang's state media on Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lam sent a letter to Kim on September 9 to commemorate the 78th anniversary of North Korea's national founding. In his reply, Kim emphasized that the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two nations, which have entered a new phase of development since their meeting in Pyongyang last October, will continue to grow in the mutual interests of both countries.

Lam's letter highlighted the steady strengthening of relations since the summit, mentioning that both sides had been working on the leaders' agreements. He also expressed Vietnam's readiness to collaborate with North Korea to promote regional and global peace and stability.

Relations between North Korea and Vietnam have seen a warming trend since President Lam's visit to Pyongyang last October, marking the first visit by a top Vietnamese leader to the North in 18 years. Further diplomatic engagements included a meeting in May between Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son-hui, followed by talks between the countries' security ministers on cooperation in public security and law enforcement.