Rus "Vice Foreign Minister Discusses 'Top-Level Contact' Schedule During North Korea Visit"

Kim Jong-un's Possible Visit to Russia Gains Attention

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 17th (local time) that Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko discussed the schedule for 'highest-level contacts' between the two countries during his visit to North Korea.

Yonhap News

In a statement on the same day, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, "Deputy Minister Rudenko met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui in Pyongyang on the 15th and held talks with Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu," adding, "At this meeting, they exchanged views on key issues related to the development of bilateral relations, including high-level and highest-level political contacts."

It further stated, "The focus was on implementing the agreements made between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un during Putin's state visit to North Korea in June last year." During that summit, President Putin invited Chairman Kim to Moscow. This has raised the possibility of Kim visiting Russia this year.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also confirmed that both sides reaffirmed their firm commitment to implementing the "Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" concluded by President Putin and Chairman Kim last year, evaluating that "this treaty has developed North Korea-Russia relations to a qualitatively new alliance level that meets the demands of the times." The treaty includes provisions for mutual military assistance between the two countries in case of emergencies.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that Deputy Minister Rudenko's visit to North Korea was carried out as an extension of the regularization of strategic dialogues agreed upon by the North Korean and Russian foreign ministers in November last year.