A key official of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party held talks with Cuban President Raul Castro in Havana earlier in the week to boost their cooperative relations, the North's official media report said Thursday.

North Korea's Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the Workers'

Party of Korea central committee, had the meeting Tuesday and also conveyed greetings and a personal letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Castro, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency.

The KCNA said that Kim congratulated Raul Castro on his re-election as first secretary of the CPC.

The North Korean official is currently visiting the Caribbean country as the head of the North Korean WPK delegation. The ruling party members of both countries held talks on Monday to discuss ways to further develop their friendly ties.

During Kim's meeting with Castro, the North Korean official appreciated the Cuban government's efforts to adhere to socialist principles and to achieve big successes in building socialism, the media outlet reported.

Raul Castro, in turn, congratulated the North's WPK on its successful 7th Congress, saying, "It is the firm stand of the party and government of Cuba to further develop friendly and cooperative relations with North Korea." (Yonhap)