(LEAD) N. Korea touts ties with China in celebration of late leader's birthday

(ATTN: UPDATES with release of photo book in last para; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has touted its "deep-rooted" friendship with China and efforts made by its late leader Kim Jong-il to develop bilateral ties as it marked his 80th birth anniversary.

In a post on its foreign ministry's website, the North highlighted the "devotion" of Kim, father of current leader Kim Jong-un, to support the "revolutionary cause of the Chinese people" and strengthen relations in commemoration of his birthday, which falls on Wednesday this year.

It said he visited China nine times during his lifetime and that he "led the DPRK-PRC friendship into the further development and consolidation through centuries," using the acronyms for the official names of the North and China -- the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China.

It highlighted Kim's efforts to maintain solidarity with China, such as sending high-level delegations to the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of China's National Day in 1989 and to the 1990 Beijing Asian Games.

On Wednesday, the North's Foreign Languages Publishing House distributed a photo album highlighting Kim Jong-il's efforts to bolster relations between Pyongyang and Beijing, including his 1983 visit to China after he was tapped as successor to his father and then leader Kim Il-sung.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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