Russia invites North Korea's Kim Jong-un for possible visit
Russia has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to visit, with dates to be arranged through diplomatic channels as Moscow and Pyongyang deepen military and political ties.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, is seen during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their visit to Beijing for the 80th anniversary of China's victory over Japan in World War II on Sept. 3, 2025.
NEWS1
Russia has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to visit the country, with the timing of the trip to be arranged through diplomatic channels, a senior Russian diplomat said on Thursday.
“Chairman Kim has been invited to visit our country,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told Russian state news agency Tass. “Russia will always be glad to welcome the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” he added, referring to North Korea by its official name.
The dates of Kim’s visit will be agreed upon through diplomatic channels, Rudenko added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly extended invitations to Kim as Moscow and Pyongyang have rapidly deepened their military and political ties.
Putin invited Kim to Russia after the two leaders met in Pyongyang in June 2024 and repeated the invitation when they reunited in Beijing in September last year for events marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II.
Speculation that Kim could travel to Russia this year grew after North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui made an official visit to Russia at the invitation of its Foreign Ministry in July. Choe met Putin in Moscow during the trip, raising the possibility that the two sides were laying the groundwork for a visit by Kim to the Russian capital.
Kim has traveled to Russia twice, in 2019 and 2023, but both visits took him to the country’s Far East rather than Moscow. During his latest trip in September 2023, Kim met Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur region.
The Kremlin had already confirmed in March that its invitation to Kim remained open. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at the time that a visit could take place once its timing was coordinated through diplomatic channels, adding that Russia would always welcome the North Korean leader.
The renewed invitation comes as North Korea and Russia continue to strengthen military cooperation following their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed in June 2024. The treaty includes a mutual defense provision requiring either country to provide military and other assistance if the other comes under armed attack.
Their military ties have since expanded to include the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
