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North Korean leader, top Russian diplomat reaffirm strategic relationship in meeting

Published: 13 Jul. 2025, 17:25 Updated: 13 Jul. 2025, 19:50

The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, reports on July 13 that Kim Jong-un met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. [NEWS1]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed the strength of his country’s strategic relationship with Russia during a meeting with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, North Korean state media reported on Sunday.

Meeting Lavrov in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, on Saturday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the two exchanged the "opinions of the leaderships of the two countries on a series of important matters for defending the common core interests by faithfully implementing the agreements made at the historic DPRK-Russia summit talks," referring to the North by the acronym for its official name.

Kim Jong-un said "that the two countries share the views on all strategic issues in conformity with the level of alliance, adding that it shows the high strategic level reached by the two countries," the report said.

Kim also received a briefing on the results of the second round of strategic dialogue held earlier between North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Lavrov.

He expressed confidence that the two countries’ coordinated diplomatic positions would “make a positive contribution to ensuring peace and security in the region and the rest of the world.”

Kim reiterated his unconditional support for all measures taken by the Russian leadership with "the eradicating of the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis."

The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, reports on July 13 that Kim Jong-un met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. [NEWS1]

Lavrov, for his part, emphasized Russia’s intention to "further intensify the strategic and tactical cooperation and concerted action" with North Korea on the international stage.

But the state media made no mention of a potential summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with Belgorod Region Governor in Moscow on July 11. [AFP/YONHAP]

“North Korea and Russia are sending a message that they intend to actively cooperate on Korean Peninsula issues as part of their broader effort to establish an independent sphere of influence in the international community,” said Oh Kyung-seop, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification. “Russia will likely position itself as a backer of North Korea, not only in future Pyongyang-Washington relations but also in inter-Korean affairs.”

“Russia’s remarks strongly suggest that coordination for Kim Jong-un’s visit to Russia and a summit with President Vladimir Putin is already in its final stages,” said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University.

The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, reports on July 13 that Kim Jong-un meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. [NEWS1]

Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported earlier that Lavrov had delivered a message to Kim from Putin, in which the Russian president reaffirmed his commitment to all existing agreements and expressed his hope for another meeting in the near future.

Lavrov arrived in Wonsan on Friday, where North Korea has developed a large seaside resort district known as the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area.

A video released by Russia’s foreign ministry via its Telegram channel confirmed that the meeting took place in Wonsan on Saturday.

In that video, Kim told Lavrov, “I thought it would be better to meet here [in Wonsan] rather than in Pyongyang,” adding, “You are the first foreign guest to visit this resort.”

The KCNA also published the full text of a joint statement on the second round of strategic dialogue between the two countries.

The joint statement underscored the importance of implementing the treaty on the comprehensive strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia.

It said both sides reaffirmed their intent to further “coordinate the common stand while further heightening vigilance against the hostile forces' hegemony-oriented moves for aggression getting more undisguised worldwide and boosting strategic communication."

"The Russian side resolutely opposed any attempt to deny the present position of the DPRK as regards the situation on the Korean peninsula and expressed its firm support for the DPRK side in its just efforts for defending the security of the state and the sovereign right," the statement said.

This handout photograph taken and released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on July 12 shows Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as he delivers a joint press conference with his North Korean counterpart in Wonsan, Gangwon. [AFP/YONHAP]

The North Korean side "expressed full sympathy and support for all the measures taken by the Russian government to remove the root cause of the Ukrainian conflict and defend its national sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity."

“Although this meeting was formally the second round of strategic dialogue, it functioned as an indirect summit between North Korea and Russia, with Lavrov serving as the intermediary,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

“They likely discussed concrete plans for dispatching an additional 6,000 North Korean troops, as well as cooperation on advanced weapons technology, energy and tourism.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]