Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), sent a message on Monday to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to mark the country's Freedom Day, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).



The message extended warm congratulations to the president, government and people of South Africa on behalf of the government and people of the DPRK on Freedom Day, a national holiday in South Africa, the KCNA report said.



The message also expressed the belief that the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries would steadily grow stronger, it added.



Freedom Day, celebrated every year on April 27, commemorates South Africa's first post-apartheid national elections in 1994, when non-white citizens were allowed to cast their votes for the first time in the country's history.



DPRK's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported earlier on Monday that Kim sent a letter expressing thanks to workers who contributed to building a beach resort in the eastern port city Wonsan.



The reports came amid speculations about Kim's health condition. When asked about the issue on Monday afternoon, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said: "I have no information to offer at the moment."

(With input from Xinhua)



(Cover: A woman waves a South African flag as she attends Freedom Day celebrations in Kwa-Thema Township, near Johannesburg, South Africa, April 27, 2019. /AP)