North Korea-Russia Talks Signal New Phase in Relations (Presidential Error)
North Korean FM Choe Son-hui Meets Russian Counterpart, Hints at 'New Stage' in Bilateral Ties
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on January 27th (local time) to discuss entering a new phase in North Korea-Russia relations. This meeting is seen as a follow-up to the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing last September. The South Korean government is closely monitoring the deepening ties between North Korea and Russia and plans to strengthen its alliance with the United States and cooperate with the international community to continue efforts for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
In her opening remarks, Foreign Minister Choe thanked Minister Lavrov for the invitation, recalled the results of the North Korea-China summit in September, and emphasized her commitment to developing North Korea-Russia relations. Minister Lavrov welcomed Foreign Minister Choe and expressed his hope for a successful meeting. The Russian Foreign Ministry anticipates that this meeting will further deepen the strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries. In particular, amid the protracted war in Ukraine and U.S. sanctions against Russia, analysts suggest that Russia intends to overcome diplomatic isolation and establish new cooperative models by strengthening its relationship with North Korea.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Choe is scheduled to attend the Eurasian Security Conference in Belarus from January 28th to 29th. Senior officials from Eurasian countries are expected to attend the conference to discuss regional security issues. Foreign Minister Choe's participation in this Eurasian Security Conference can be interpreted as part of North Korea's efforts to strengthen its diplomatic position by actively engaging in the international diplomatic arena. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs will closely monitor these diplomatic moves by North Korea and continue its efforts to peacefully resolve the Korean Peninsula issue through cooperation with relevant countries.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the Kremlin on January 27th. The meeting between President Putin and Foreign Minister Choe is expected to cover ways to deepen North Korea-Russia relations and various issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula. In particular, attention is focused on the possibility of a change in Russia's position regarding North Korea's nuclear and missile development program. President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea stressed that North Korea's nuclear development is a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and that efforts should be continued to denuclearize North Korea through cooperation with the international community.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui departed Pyongyang by special plane on January 26th at the invitation of the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries. The North Korean media's report confirmed that Foreign Minister Choe's visit was at the official invitation of the two countries' foreign ministries. This is seen as an example of the close diplomatic relations being maintained between North Korea, Russia, and Belarus. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he is monitoring North Korea's diplomatic activities and will continue to exert pressure on North Korea to denuclearize through cooperation with allies. The U.S. government considers North Korea's nuclear development a threat to international peace and security and plans to pursue a combination of sanctions and diplomatic efforts to induce change in North Korea.
