North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has departed for Russia on an official visit at the invitation of her counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. The visit comes amid deepening ties between the two countries and speculation about coordinating potential trips between their leaders.
The visit underscores the deepening strategic alignment between North Korea and Russia, potentially signaling further cooperation in military and diplomatic spheres amidst ongoing international tensions and conflicts.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has departed for Russia on an official visit, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday. Choe left Pyongyang on Saturday, traveling on her official plane at the invitation of her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not disclose further details regarding the purpose of the visit or her itinerary. Russia's foreign ministry had announced Saturday that Choe had arrived in Moscow for an "official visit." This trip marks Choe's first visit to Russia since October 2024, when she made a working visit and also traveled to Belarus for a global security forum. Speculation has arisen that Choe's visit is intended to coordinate a potential trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Russia, given the absence of major diplomatic events or anniversaries between the two nations. North Korea and Russia have been strengthening their bilateral ties since Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in June 2024. Putin has previously invited Kim to visit Moscow for summit talks. Following the treaty signing, North Korea has reportedly sent thousands of troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine and has deepened cooperation in various sectors. Choe's trip also occurs as Pyongyang seeks to bolster relations with China, its traditional ally and economic supporter. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pyongyang last month for talks with Kim, and the two countries have recently increased high-level exchanges on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of their friendship treaty.