North Korea's Foreign Minister Visits Russia Ahead of Trump's South Korea Trip, Reports Claim "Highest-Level Relations Enhancement"

Joint Statement on North Korea-Russia Foreign Ministers' Meeting Released; "Criticism of the US" Omitted

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui [AP/Kremlin Pool Yonhap News. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited]

North Korea has reaffirmed its existing stance of strengthening bilateral relations at the highest level ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to South Korea.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on the 28th that North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui paid a courtesy call on Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on the 27th (local time).

KCNA stated that Foreign Minister Choe conveyed "the warmest comradely greetings" from North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un to President Putin, and that President Putin asked her to send his "warm greetings" in return.

KCNA further reported that both sides engaged in "excellent discussions regarding future endeavors to continuously strengthen and develop North Korea-Russia relations," but did not disclose specific agenda items.

The Kremlin had also released a video of the initial moments of Foreign Minister Choe's meeting with President Putin the previous day, but did not broadcast the content of their conversation.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui receiving a bouquet from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov [EPA/Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yonhap News. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited]

Additionally, KCNA released a joint statement from the meeting between Foreign Minister Choe and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov prior to the presidential meeting.

The joint statement indicated that "constructive and fruitful strategic communication took place, focusing on the implementation of high-level agreements reached between the heads of state, plans for high-level exchanges and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, and diplomatic coordination on major international issues of mutual interest," and that "unanimity of views was achieved on all issues discussed."

It further stated that the two sides "reaffirmed their will to accelerate the multifaceted strengthening and development of bilateral relations under the strategic guidance of the highest leadership."

North Korea mentioned that it "expressed unwavering empathy and support for all measures taken by the Russian side" concerning the war in Ukraine, while Russia "expressed full support for the efforts and measures of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to firmly defend its current status, national security interests, and sovereign rights."

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the two ministers unanimously criticized the United States and its allies as the cause of escalating tensions in the international arena, including on the Korean Peninsula. However, the joint statement released by North Korea made no mention of the United States.

This is interpreted as an attempt to moderate the tone amid President Trump's ongoing "love calls" for dialogue with Chairman Kim Jong Un during his tour of Asia.

In this context, KCNA also reported that a delegation led by Park Ji Min, president of Kim Chaek University of Technology, a prestigious science and engineering institution in North Korea, departed Pyongyang on the 27th to participate in an international conference held in Russia. Yonhap News