Kim Jong-un condemns US strike in Syria

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday condemned the military strikes by the US in Syria.

In a message to President Bashar al-Assad on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of Syrian independence, Kim termed as a "reckless act of invasion" the April 7 US attack on a Syrian regime air base in apparent retaliation for its alleged use of chemical weapons on civilians.

It was the first time that Kim has personally criticised Washington's military action, and the message - published by North Korea's state-run news agency KCNA - came on the same day as US Vice President Mike Pence's statement warning Pyongyang against putting to test the US resolve as made evident in recent bombings in Syria and Afghanistan, Efe news reported.

In the message, Kim - in a new show of friendly relations between the two leaders - also expressed his "strong support and solidarity" with the efforts of the Syrian government and people towards attaining justice.

The agency added that al-Assad had also sent two congratulatory messages to Kim last week on the occasion of the 105th birth anniversary of North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung.