North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his officials visit "the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers" in Hoechang County, South Pyongan Province, state media said Thursday. Yonhap

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the cemetery of Chinese soldiers who fell during the 1950-53 Korean War to mark the anniversary of their participation in the conflict, state media said Thursday.

It appears be in line with Kim's push to further strengthen bilateral ties with China at a time when the North is in need of support from the ally amid stagnant economic growth and stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States.

Kim visited "the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) in Hoechang County, South Pyongan Province, and paid a high tribute to them on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the entry of the Chinese People's Volunteers into the Korean front," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Hoechang is where the headquarters of the Chinese soldiers was located during the war.

"He said with deep emotion that even though 70 years have passed since the excellent sons and daughters of the fraternal Chinese people made an entry into the sacred Fatherland Liberation War fought by the Korean people, the immortal exploits and heroic feats made by the CPV by sacrificially supporting us... remain vividly in the memory of our people." the KCNA added.

Kim lauded the participation of Chinese soldiers in the Korean War as a "historic contribution to the great victory in the Fatherland Liberation War."

"The great victory won by the armies and peoples of the DPRK and China while linking their destiny as one and sharing weal and woe with each other is, indeed, of great significance no matter how much water flows under the bridge," Kim was quoted as saying.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.