North Korea's foreign minister heads to Moscow, state media confirms

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has departed for Russia, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday, amid deepening ties between the two countries.

Choe left Pyongyang the previous day on her official plane to visit Russia at the invitation of her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It did not disclose further details, including the purpose of the visit or her itinerary.

Russia's Foreign Ministry announced Saturday that Choe had arrived in Moscow for an "official visit," without revealing other details.

It marks Choe's first trip to Russia since October, when she visited Moscow on a "working visit" and Belarus to attend a global security forum.

Speculation has arisen that Choe is visiting Moscow to coordinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's potential trip to Russia, given the absence of major diplomatic events or anniversaries between the two countries.

North Korea and Russia have been deepening their ties since Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty in June 2024. Putin has invited Kim to visit Moscow for summit talks.

Following the signing of the treaty, North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine and deepened bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Choe's trip also comes amid Pyongyang's efforts to strengthen its relations with China, the North's traditional ally and economic benefactor.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pyongyang for talks with the North's leader in June, and the two countries have recently bolstered high-level exchanges on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of their friendship treaty.

Yonhap