N. Korea highlights Kim Il-sung's foreign policy legacy ahead of his birthday

SEOUL, April 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Monday that it will continue to expand cooperation with developing countries, highlighting late founder Kim Il-sung's foreign policy legacy ahead of his birthday next week.

The North's foreign ministry said in a statement posted on its website that Kim laid the groundwork for the so-called South-South cooperation, which it said has become a "self-reliance" strategy for many developing countries.

"(We) will continue to make active efforts to establish new international economic relations based on justice, equality and fairness, while advancing friendly ties with developing countries," the ministry said.

"It is our unwavering foreign policy stance to inherit and advance the historic tradition of the South-South cooperation," it added.

North Korea has frequently used the South-South cooperation to refer to cooperation with developing countries for economic and technological self-reliance in the face of advanced countries.

The North's emphasis on such cooperation appears intended to play up the foreign policy legacy of Kim Il-sung before April 15, the birthday of the late founder and grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.

North Korea has beefed up its calls for self-reliance since leader Kim said in December that he expects no easing of sanctions from the United States and called for a "frontal breakthrough" to tackle challenges amid stalled denuclearization talks.
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