North Korean FM Choe Son Hui to Visit Russia for First Time in 9 Months

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is visiting Russia, roughly nine months after her last trip, at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Choe departed Pyongyang via a special flight on the 18th. Kim Jong-gyu, North Korea's vice foreign minister, and Vladimir Topekha, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Russian Embassy in North Korea, saw her off at Pyongyang International Airport.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Choe will officially visit Russia on the 18th (local time). This visit marks the first time in approximately nine months since her working visit in October last year.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions between South Korea and Russia are continuing due to differing stances on cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Andrey Rudenko, Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister, expressed concerns to South Korean Ambassador to Russia Lee Seok-bee on the 16th (local time) regarding South Korea's strengthened cooperation with NATO. In response, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that it pursues cooperation with international organizations in accordance with the principles of practical diplomacy centered on national interests.