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North Korea’s Foreign Minister, Choe Son Hui, has travelled to Russia for high-level talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, as both countries continue to strengthen their political and military partnership.
According to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency on Sunday, Choe and her delegation departed Pyongyang for Moscow on July 18 aboard her official aircraft. Russia’s Foreign Ministry had earlier confirmed the planned visit.
The meeting comes amid growing cooperation between the two countries following the defence pact signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in 2024. Since then, relations have deepened despite criticism from Western governments and allies.
North Korea is reported to have supplied Russia with missiles, ammunition and thousands of troops to support Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. In return, analysts believe Russia has provided Pyongyang with financial assistance, military technology, food supplies and energy resources.
In April, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his country’s support for Russia, pledging to help Moscow achieve victory in what he described as its “sacred” war. During the same month, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov visited Pyongyang, where both sides discussed expanding military cooperation and proposed a defence partnership plan covering the 2027 to 2031 period.
South Korea and the European Union have criticised the growing alliance, while North Korea insists its cooperation with Russia is a legitimate exercise of its sovereign rights.
