Russian President Vladimir Putin has conveyed his readiness to visit Pyongyang in the near future during a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in Russia last week, as reported by North Korea’s state news agency KCNA on Sunday.
According to Reuters, KCNA stated that Putin also expressed gratitude to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for extending an invitation to visit, marking Putin’s first trip to North Korea in over two decades.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Monday that Russia anticipates Putin’s visit to North Korea, extended at Kim’s invitation, to occur “in the foreseeable future.”
However, Peskov clarified that no specific date has been confirmed. Despite KCNA’s initial Korean-language report indicating Putin’s intention to visit soon, the subsequent English report specified that he was “willing” to do so at an early date.
During Choe’s visit, North Korea received appreciation from Russia for its support and solidarity in the Ukraine military operation, as per KCNA.
The report highlighted that Moscow and Pyongyang expressed serious concerns about provocative actions by the United States and its allies against North Korea’s sovereign rights.
Both nations agreed to collaborate in addressing the regional situation, ensuring that their cooperation aligns with the spirit of the U.N. Charter and other international laws.
Putin’s last visit to Pyongyang occurred in July 2000 when he met with Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un.
The Russian president accepted Kim’s invitation during their summit in Russia in September, according to Peskov’s previous statements.
The deepening ties between Kim and Putin in recent years have raised concerns among Washington and its allies, who criticize the arms trade between the two countries as a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Addressing these concerns, Jung Pak, U.S. senior official for North Korea, emphasized the need for attention and coordinated action regarding Pyongyang’s transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia for potential use against Ukraine.
This was discussed during a meeting with the nuclear envoys of South Korea and Japan in Seoul on Thursday.
