North Korean foreign minister visits Russia amid troop deployment

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has traveled to Russia for an official visit coinciding with reports that North Korea has dispatched around 10,000 soldiers to eastern Russia for training.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Choe’s visit will likely include discussions regarding a potential trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Moscow, reflecting the deepening military ties between the two nations.

Choe departed from Pyongyang International Airport on Monday, accompanied by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu and Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora, as reported by Yonhap.

The Russian Embassy in North Korea noted on its Facebook page that Choe’s visit is part of a “strategic dialogue” agreed upon by the leaders of both countries.

This news comes as NATO’s chief confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia’s Kursk region, potentially to bolster Russian forces.

“It’s difficult to speculate on the agenda since North Korea hasn’t clarified it, but we anticipate discussions on responses to troop deployments in Russia,” a unification ministry official stated anonymously.

There is speculation that Choe’s visit may also involve negotiations for Kim’s potential visit to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It’s expected that both sides will discuss a joint response strategy following the U.S. presidential election and plan the timing of Kim’s visit to Russia,” said Hyun Seung-soo, deputy director of the Korea Institute for National Unification, suggesting Kim could visit as early as next year.

North Korea and Russia have been enhancing military cooperation, with Kim and Putin previously holding summit talks in June in Pyongyang, where they signed a new partnership treaty that includes a mutual defense clause.

Choe last visited Russia in September and had another trip to Moscow in January, where she met with Putin.