Exclusive Moscow Meeting: North Korea’s Foreign Minister Holds High-Stakes Talks with Top Russian Officials

Regarding Foreign Minister Choe Son-hee, who left North Korea to visit Russia, Russian media reported that she was scheduled to arrive in Moscow, the capital, on the 30th and hold talks with Russian officials.

Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of North Korea’s Workers’ Party of Korea, reported that Foreign Minister Choi Son-hee departed the capital Pyongyang Airport on the 28th for an official visit to Russia.

Russian media reported on the 29th, borrowing from a diplomatic source, that Foreign Minister Choi Son-hee plans to arrive in Moscow, the capital, on the 30th via Vladivostok in the Russian Far East and hold talks with Russian officials.

However, diplomatic sources did not reveal with whom Foreign Minister Choi Son-hee was meeting with Russian officials.

In response to NHK’s coverage, a Russian official said that during this visit, adjustments are expected to be made to make North Korea’s General Secretary Kim Jong-un’s visit to Russia within the year possible.

He also announced that he expects to discuss North Korea’s troops dispatched to Russia and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed with Russia, which stipulates military support in case of emergency.

Foreign Minister Choi Son-hee also visited Russia last month and expressed support for Russia in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying, “I am confident of Russia’s victory.”