North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Seong-hee is in Russia this week for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, amid the two countries deepening economic, political and military ties, writes UNN citing Reuters.
Details
Choi arrived in Moscow on Sunday and was met by representatives of the Russian foreign ministry and the North Korean embassy, the state-run KCNA news agency reported Monday.
As russia's international isolation due to the war in Ukraine has increased, analysts say Muscovy sees the growing value of its ties with North Korea, the publication said.
As for North Korea, relations with Russia have not always been as warm as they were during the heyday of the Soviet Union, but the country is reaping the benefits of Moscow's need for friends, the publication said.
The visit comes amid North Korea's test Sunday of a new solid-fueled, medium-range hypersonic missile, as reported by KCNA and condemned by the United States, South Korea and Japan.
Choi will visit russia through Wednesday, the russian foreign ministry said, coming as the United States and its allies accused moscow of launching North Korean-made ballistic missiles and other weapons at targets in Ukraine.
Moscow and Pyongyang deny arms supply agreements, but have vowed to deepen cooperation on all fronts and have held a series of high-level meetings since last year, including a summit between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Russia.
"Given that relations between russia and North Korea are becoming very multifaceted, a variety of issues could be discussed between Lavrov and Choi," said Artyom Lukin of russia's Far Eastern Federal University. - If she meets with the Russian president, it could be another sign that Putin will visit Pyongyang this year.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the visit would include talks, but did not specify details.
Lukin said that given the high number of North Korean missile launches, the latest test was likely unrelated to Choi's trip.
Supplement
A clear sign of deepening ties, as indicated, came in July, when Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang and toured a weapons exhibition featuring North Korea's banned ballistic missiles.
This was followed by Kim Jong-un's trip to Russia, his first foreign visit since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
In October, Choi said criticism from the U.S. and its allies over North Korea's alleged arms transfers to Russia was politicized and distorted, while pledging that relations between Moscow and Pyongyang would reach a "new higher phase.
russia and North Korea have not commented specifically on moscow's accusations of North Korean missile use in Ukraine.