Russian foreign minister to pay 3-day visit to North Korea

MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay a three-day visit to North Korea starting Friday, according to ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Lavrov will carry out negotiations within the framework of the second round of strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministry heads, Zakharova told a Wednesday press briefing in Moscow.

In a separate statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during his visit to the capital Pyongyang, Lavrov will deliver a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"Each time our high-ranking officials, especially the head of the Foreign Ministry department, visit Pyongyang, they convey a message from Putin to the country's leadership," said Peskov.

The Korean Central News Agency, a state outlet, separately confirmed the visit, saying Lavrov will meet with his counterpart Choe Son-hui.

According to media reports, Russia’s top diplomat may also pay a courtesy call on Kim, with an upcoming visit to Russia likely to be discussed.

Peskov, however, said there are currently no plans for the Russian and North Korean leaders to pay each other visits.

"There are currently no such plans for the near future. When they emerge, we'll inform everyone," he said.

In recent years, Russian-North Korean relations have seen significant developments, particularly since the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between the two countries in June 2024.