SEOUL - NORTH Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun left on Tuesday for a visit to Russia, official media reported, amid progress in a six-party nuclear disarmament pact of which Moscow is a member.

'DPRK (North Korea) Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun and his party left here today to visit Russia,' the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said without giving details of the trip.

Russian media said Mr Pak would hold talks with counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday during his four-day visit.

On Sunday, the North agreed to resume work to disable its nuclear plants following a deal that saw the United States remove the communist state from a terrorism blacklist.

The six-party negotiations group the two Koreas, Russia, China, Japan and the United States.

Russia and North Korea this week celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties, which were strained when Moscow established relations with South Korea in 1991.

Mr Pak said in a congratulatory message to Mr Lavrov that 'the two countries as friendly neighbours have successfully cooperated with each other in the work to ensure regional security and achieve the common prosperity of the peoples,' KCNA said on Sunday.

Russia and North Korea are working to restore a railway linking the Trans-Siberian railway to the North Korean port city of Rajin. -- AFP