North Korea’s Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui arrived in Russia Tuesday for an official visit after South Korea and the United States claimed Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to train in Russia.
Choe flew to the city of Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East, the state-run TASS news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source. According to the source, Choe will travel to Moscow on Wednesday.
Russian news agencies reported that the foreign minister plans to hold talks with Russian officials but did not say with whom exactly.
Earlier, Washington said North Korea sent 10,000 troops to train in Russia, after which they are likely to be sent to fight in the war against Ukraine. Seoul has described the deployment as a “significant security threat.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare visit to North Korea in June, where he signed a mutual defense agreement with leader Kim Jong Un. Russian lawmakers ratified that treaty earlier this month.
Moscow and Pyongyang have been allies since North Korea’s founding after World War II and have drawn closer since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Choe’s visit to Russia this week is her third since the beginning of the year, having already traveled to the country in January and September.
The Russian embassy in Pyongyang said Choe’s latest visit came after the two countries’ leaders agreed to step up “strategic dialogue” at their meeting in June.
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