Putin Sends Regards to Kim Jong-un After Meeting With Choe Son-hui, Ahead of Lee Jae-myung's US Visit
Putin Greets North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, Extends Regards to Kim Jong-un
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the Kremlin on October 27, 2025 (local time), to discuss ways to develop bilateral relations. The meeting is drawing significant attention as it took place ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to South Korea. During the meeting, President Putin asked Foreign Minister Choe to convey his warmest regards to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, emphasizing the friendly relations between Russia and North Korea.
During the meeting with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, President Putin recalled his meeting with Kim Jong-un in Beijing last September, stating that they had in-depth discussions on the prospects for developing North Korea-Russia relations. He emphasized that current cooperation projects between the two countries are progressing smoothly as planned, and expressed his willingness to expand cooperation in various fields in the future. Russia considers its relationship with North Korea to be strategically important and is expected to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, military, and other areas. In particular, economic cooperation with North Korea in connection with the development of the Far East could provide Russia with new growth momentum, as well as contribute to the stability of Northeast Asia. President Putin's meeting with Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui can be interpreted as an important part of Russia's policy toward the Korean Peninsula.
Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui responded by conveying Kim Jong-un's "warmest comradely greetings" to President Putin. This shows that North Korea also considers its relationship with Russia to be very important. Amidst the rapidly changing international situation, North Korea is trying to cope with external pressure and find a breakthrough for economic development by further strengthening its relationship with Russia. In particular, Russia is an important energy supplier for North Korea and one of the few countries that can continue economic cooperation even under UN Security Council sanctions. Therefore, North Korea is expected to continue to consolidate its relationship with Russia and maximize its own interests. Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's visit to President Putin is a clear example of North Korea's diplomatic strategy.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea on October 30 in conjunction with the APEC summit. Various issues, including trade, Taiwan, and the South China Sea, are expected to be discussed at the upcoming US-China summit. In particular, President Trump is expected to urge China to play a constructive role in the North Korean issue during this meeting. The United States believes that China can exert considerable influence over North Korea and is trying to deter North Korea's nuclear development and bring about peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through China's cooperation. Attention is focusing on whether the meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping can serve as an important opportunity to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue. In addition, the diplomatic role of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is also expected to be an important variable.
President Trump also plans to visit China in early 2025, and it is known that they have mutually agreed that President Xi Jinping will visit the United States thereafter. This shows the willingness of the United States and China to improve relations through dialogue despite conflicts. Cooperation between the United States and China is very important because US-China relations have a significant impact on the global economy and security. In particular, the United States and China have recently been in conflict in various fields such as trade, technology, and human rights, but cooperation is inevitable for common interests such as climate change and counter-terrorism. Continuous meetings between President Trump and President Xi Jinping are expected to increase the possibility of such cooperation and contribute to world peace and prosperity. However, unless the fundamental conflict factors between the United States and China are resolved, there is a high possibility that relations between the two countries will remain unstable.
Prior to this, President Trump will hold his first US-Japan summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on the morning of October 28. Various regional and global issues, including the North Korean issue, China's rise, and economic security, are expected to be discussed at the meeting. In particular, President Trump is expected to strengthen the alliance with Japan and expand US influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan will also seek to strengthen its security and expand its role in the international community through its alliance with the United States. The US-Japan summit could have a significant impact on the security environment in Northeast Asia and is expected to indirectly affect future changes in the situation on the Korean Peninsula. President Trump's current Asian tour will be an important opportunity to gauge the direction of US foreign policy.
