North Korean foreign minister visits Moscow amid speculation of arms deal with Russia
In 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russian President Vladimir Putin at Russia's Vostochny satellite launch center
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}North Korea and Russia have orchestrated another meeting as international concern grows over the two countries forming an arms cooperation deal.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia was developing relations with "our partner" North Korea, Reuters reported. The comment came as a delegation led by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui arrived in Moscow on Sunday and will spend Monday through Wednesday for talks, according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed Choe’s meeting with her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Choe's visit would include discussions about the agreements reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when they met at Russia's Vostochny satellite launch center last year.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un shake hands during their meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur region on Sept. 13, 2023, ahead of planned talks that could lead to a weapons deal. (VLADIMIR SMIRNOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Choe’s visit to Russia came at Lavrov's invitation, the foreign ministry said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Koo Byoungsam, spokesperson of South Korea’s Unification Ministry, said it is closely watching Choe’s visit and any potential agreements or shift in relations.
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The spokesperson accused North Korea and Russia of "maintaining illegal cooperation activities, including arms exchanges" following Kim’s visit to Russia in September, when he met with Putin.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says is a flight test of a new solid-fuel intermediate-range in North Korea on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
The United States and South Korea have officially claimed North Korea is providing Russia with weaponry, including artillery and missiles, to help refill its supplies drained by its war in Ukraine. In return, North Korea allegedly receives technological and military insights.
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The Biden administration also claims it has evidence that missiles used by Russia in Ukraine were provided by North Korea.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, center, shaking hands with North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui as she and other foreign ministry officials see him off at the airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, Oct. 19, 2023. (KIM WON JIN/AFP via Getty Images)
In a joint statement last week, the U.S., South Korea and their partners criticized the alleged partnership, saying the missiles support Russia’s war.
Both Russia and North Korea have denied arms transfers to Russia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.