Russia’s Lavrov meets North Korea’s Kim, praises ties as ‘invincible brotherhood’

SEOUL – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coastal city of Wonsan on July 12, where he described the two nations’ relations as “an invincible fighting brotherhood”, Russia’s foreign ministry said.

The ministry quoted him as saying that the visit represented the continuation of “strategic dialogue” between the two sides inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s

visit to North Korea last year

.

In a message passed on by Mr Lavrov, Mr Putin said that he hoped for more direct contacts in future, the Tass news agency reported.

Russia’s foreign ministry added that Mr Lavrov also thanked North Korea for the troops it had sent to Russia.

Relations between the two countries deepened during the conflict in Ukraine.

Thousands of North Korean troops were deployed during the months-long campaign to oust Ukrainian forces from Russia’s Kursk region, while Pyongyang has also supplied Russia with munitions.

Mr Lavrov also met with his North Korean counterpart, Ms Choe Son Hui, Tass reported.

Mr Lavrov arrived in Wonsan on July 11 from Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur following the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting.

Home to a newly opened resort

, Wonsan is also known for its missile and naval facilities.

His visit is the latest high-level meeting between the two countries as they upgrade their strategic cooperation to now include a mutual defence pact.

“We exchanged views on the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis... Our Korean friends confirmed their firm support for all the objectives of the special military operation, as well as for the actions of the Russian leadership and armed forces,” Tass quoted Mr Lavrov as saying.

It also quoted his deputy Andrey Rudenko as saying more high-level delegations would visit North Korea later in 2025.

South Korea’s intelligence service has said North Korea may be preparing to deploy additional troops in July or August, after

sending more than 10,000 soldiers

to fight with Russia in the war against Ukraine.

North Korea has agreed

to dispatch 6,000 military engineers and builders

for reconstruction in Russia’s conflict-hit Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a mass cross-border incursion nearly a year ago.

Russian news agencies said that after North Korea, Mr Lavrov is expected to travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, which is set to take place on July 14 and 15. 

Tass said the new Wonsan coastal resort could boost Russian tourism to North Korea, citing the resumption of direct trains from Moscow to Pyongyang and a project to build a bridge across the Tumen River forming part of the boundary between North Korea, China and Russia. REUTERS