SEOUL: Choe Son Hui, the Foreign Minister of North Korea, is scheduled to meet with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Russia on Monday, marking a step towards further strengthening the economic, political, and military connections between the two nations.
As Russia faces increasing international isolation due to its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, analysts suggest that Moscow is placing greater importance on its ties with North Korea.
While North Korea’s relationship with Russia hasn’t always been as warm as during the height of the Soviet Union, the country is currently reaping benefits from Moscow’s quest for allies.
On Sunday, North Korea conducted a test of a new solid-fuel hypersonic missile with intermediate range, as reported by the state news agency KCNA. This move was met with condemnation from the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
On the same day, Choe and her delegation left Pyongyang for Russia, according to KCNA. Her three-day visit coincides with accusations from the United States and its allies, claiming that Russia has been using North Korean-made ballistic missiles and other weapons in the conflict in Ukraine.
Despite denials of arms deals, both Moscow and Pyongyang have pledged to strengthen cooperation across various fronts. They have engaged in a series of high-level meetings since last year, including a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Russia.
“Given that the Russia-North Korea relationship is shaping up to be quite multi-faceted, all kinds of issues can be discussed between Lavrov and Choe,” said Artyom Lukin, at Russia’s Far Eastern Federal University.
“If she meets the Russian president, this may be another indication Putin will visit Pyongyang this year.”
Lukin suggested that, considering the frequent North Korean missile launches, the recent test was probably unconnected to Choe’s journey. In a notable display of strengthened relations in July, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang and explored a weapons exhibition showcasing North Korea’s prohibited ballistic missiles. This was subsequently followed by Kim’s visit to Russia, marking his initial foreign trip since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
