More Friendly, Russian Foreign Minister Visits North Korea

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov/Register Donut Sorokin/TASS

JAKARTA - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in North Korea on Friday. This is the latest visit by a senior Russian official to the isolated country amid warming relations between the two countries.

Lavrov's visit, scheduled for Sunday, included a meeting between foreign ministers of the two countries, KCNA reported.

Lavrov flew from Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, after a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers and arrived in Wonsan, North Korea's eastern coastal city, which is home to a resort that has just opened and is known for its missile and naval facilities.

Reported by Reuters on Saturday, July 12, Lavrov's visit is the latest high-level meeting between the two countries amid the dramatic increase in their strategic cooperation which now includes a joint defense pact.

South Korea's intelligence agency said North Korea may be preparing to deploy additional troops in July or August, after sending more than 10,000 troops to fight alongside Russia in the fight against Ukraine.

North Korea has agreed to send 6,000 military engineers and builders for reconstruction in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops launched mass cross-border attacks nearly a year ago.

Russian news agencies also reported on Lavrov's arrival and said after a meeting of North Korea he was expected to travel to China to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is scheduled to take place on Monday and Tuesday.

Russian state news agency TASS reported Lavrov and his North Korean partner Choi Son Hui will discuss the Ukraine conflict that has lasted for 40 months and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

TASS said the new beach resort could increase Russia's tourism to North Korea, citing the resumption of direct trains from Moscow to Pyongyang and the bridge construction project over the Tumen River which is part of the border between North Korea, China and Russia.

TASS quoted Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrei Rudenko, as saying more high-level delegates would visit North Korea later this year.

Rudenko said the strategic partnership deal clearly met the changing needs over the past few decades and strengthened Russia-Korean relations that are traditionally friendly and friendly to a new level qualitatively as allies.