Table of Contents
Summary
- The current trip by Choe Son Hui is in the aftermath of the June 2024 summit commitment
- South Korean President Yoon Suk-you: There will be ‘illegal’ cooperation in military with North
- The North Korean troops are in Russia’s Kursk region –NATO
SEOUL, Oct 29 (Reuters) – North Korean foreign minister, Choe Son Hui, is en route to Moscow, both KCNA, state media, and Russia mentioned on Tuesday while the second visit in six weeks boosted tensions over Pyongyang’s role in Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine.
KCNA said a delegation led by Choe Ryong Hae left on Monday for a five-nation official goodwill visit that includes Russia.
The Russian embassy’s Vkontakte website reported that Alexander Matsegora, Russia’s ambassador to Pyongyang, accompanied Choe to the airport.
‘The working visit of the head of the DPRK Foreign Ministry to the Russian Federation is possible as part of the strategic dialogue based on the agreement to develop cooperation between the countries signed by the leaders of the two states during the summit of the Two-Shores in June 2024,’ the statement stated.
DPRK is an acronym that represents Korea’s official name; the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
In a live broadcast of a cabinet meeting South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated that “illegal”Russian- North Korean military cooperation endangering everyone.
“I want everyone to be concerned about risk management,” Yoon said during the meeting.
Choe’s visit comes despite NATO, South Korea, the United States and Ukraine confirming that Pyongyang has sent soldiers to Russia, where North Korean military units have been identified in Russia’s Kursk region near Ukraine.
On Monday the Pentagon stated that the United States would not place fresh concurrent restrictions on the utilization of American arms provided to Kyiv if North Korea joined Moscow’s crusade against Kyiv. It also claimed that North Korea had dispatched 10 thousand soldiers to training in eastern Russia up from its previous assessment of 3000 on Wednesday.
U.S. President Joe Biden described the situation as very dangerous.
At a NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Monday, NATO head Mark Rutte said that Russia’s growing military cooperation with North Korea posed a threat both to the Indo-Pacific region and to NATO’s Euro-Atlantic region.
South Korea’s president warned European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a phone call that North Korean troops might be used at the front line of the Ukraine war sooner than expected.
North Koria and Russia have stepped up their military relations since the bilateral summit between the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s Far East last year. They first gathered in June this year to ink a broad politico-strategic cooperation framework covering a defense treaty.
FAQs
1. Why is North Korea’s foreign minister visiting Russia?
The visit likely aims to strengthen ties between North Korea and Russia, focusing on diplomatic, economic, and military cooperation. Amid sanctions and global isolation, both countries are pursuing partnerships.
2. What is the significance of troop dispatch?
Reports indicate North Korea may send personnel to support Russia, potentially in areas like logistics or training. Such support could deepen military collaboration but might escalate international tensions.
3. How does this affect international relations?
This move may heighten concerns among the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, as it signals a stronger military alignment between Russia and North Korea.
4. What are the potential repercussions?
North Korea could face increased sanctions and diplomatic pressures, and regional powers may boost their defenses in response to growing military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.