North Korea’s Kim Jong Un sends sympathy messages to Iran, Japan

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent messages of sympathy to the leaders of Iran and Japan on Saturday, state media said, after the countries were hit with deadly bombings and earthquake respectively this week.

Two bomb blasts in Iran claimed by Islamic State killed nearly 100 people on Wednesday, while the death toll in Japan’s devastating earthquake on New Year’s Day is nearing 100.

Kim expressed condolences to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida with the hope that affected areas would be restored to stability soon, according to state media KCNA.

He also expressed sympathy to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and reaffirmed North Korea’s stand in “opposing all sorts of terrorism”, KCNA said.

North Korea on Friday fired more than 200 artillery rounds near a disputed maritime border with South Korea, prompting the South to take “corresponding” action with live fire drills.