Choe Sonhui: "North Korea-Russia Relations Have Reached a New Level" ... Holds Talks with Russian Foreign Minister

Meets with Minister Lavrov in Moscow, Russia

Choe Son-hui, North Korean Foreign Minister, who is currently visiting Russia, held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the 27th (local time) and assessed that North Korea-Russia relations have reached a new level.

According to a video released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Choe made these remarks at the start of her meeting with Lavrov in Moscow, referencing the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, China, last September.

She stated that the meeting between the leaders of North Korea and Russia, which took place on September 3 in Beijing during the 80th anniversary Victory Day military parade, "has elevated the comprehensive strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia to a new and higher level."

She went on to explain that, in celebration of North Korea's Liberation Day and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, delegations from the Russian Security Council and the United Russia party visited North Korea, and that active dialogue and exchanges are taking place in fields such as science, health, and sports.

Choe Son Hui, North Korea's Foreign Minister, departed Pyongyang on the 26th by a special plane to visit Russia and Belarus, respectively, at the invitation of the foreign ministries of these countries, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 27th. Yonhap News.

She also noted that the two countries are responding to the international community with a unified stance in the field of diplomacy, stating, "These achievements are the valuable fruits of the special attention given by the leaders of both sides."

Choe emphasized, "It is North Korea's foreign policy position to unwaveringly support the Russian leadership's policies to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial security, and international justice, and to faithfully implement the agreements."

Having arrived in Moscow the previous day, Choe expressed her gratitude, stating that she was visiting Russia at the invitation of Minister Lavrov in connection with her attendance at the Eurasian Security Conference to be held in Belarus on the 28th and 29th.

Lavrov, who visited Wonsan, North Korea in July and met with Chairman Kim and Minister Choe, said, "Over the past three and a half months, Russia-North Korea relations have gained strong momentum in developing the fundamental agreements signed at the June 2024 Pyongyang summit."

He also said, "We will never forget the heroic actions of North Korean troops who participated in the liberation of Kursk in Russia," and added, "I believe these actions strengthen our Russia-North Korea relationship," once again expressing gratitude for North Korea's deployment to Kursk.

Lavrov further expressed his appreciation for North Korea's unwavering support for Russia's 'special military operation' policy in Ukraine.

He explained that, in this meeting, the two sides would discuss mutual relations and ways to cooperate in the international arena, as well as share opinions on future joint actions.