North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui departed Pyongyang on Monday night for an official visit to Russia, as reported by North Korea’s state media, amid renewed criticism from the U.S. and NATO over deepening military ties between the two countries.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Choe and her delegation left from Pyongyang International Airport, with Moscow’s ambassador to North Korea, Alexander Matsegora, present to see them off. The visit was described by North Korea’s foreign ministry as part of a “strategic dialogue,” following a June 2024 summit agreement to strengthen ties between the nations.
Russia’s state-run Tass news agency reported that Choe arrived in Vladivostok on Tuesday and would continue to Moscow on Wednesday, citing a diplomatic source.
The visit occurs amid growing concerns from the West over reports of North Korean troops being stationed in Russia, with expectations that they could soon be deployed to support Russian forces fighting in eastern Ukraine and western Russia.
President Joe Biden commented on the situation after casting his ballot in Delaware, calling it “very dangerous, very dangerous.”
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said during a briefing on Monday that the U.S. now believes approximately 10,000 North Korean troops are in Russia, a significant increase from the previous estimate of 3,000 reported by National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby last week. She noted that the troops are currently training in eastern Russia and are expected to reinforce Russian units near Ukraine in the coming weeks.
Singh also indicated that some North Korean forces appear to be moving towards Russia’s western Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces gained a foothold in August.
