North Korean Foreign Minister Meets Putin in Moscow Ahead of Possible Kim Visit
Reporting based primarily on koreaherald.com.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, underscoring deepening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow and fueling speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may soon visit Russia.
Choe Son-hui Meets Putin in Kremlin
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Sunday. [4] The meeting took place during Choe's official visit to Russia, which began the day before at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. [4] Putin received Choe and asked her to convey his greetings and best wishes to Kim Jong-un. [4] He also stated that he highly values the mutual understanding on all issues and friendly relations built over the years. [4] Choe conveyed Kim's greetings to Putin during the encounter. [4] The Kremlin described the session as part of ongoing diplomatic exchanges between the two countries. [4]
Reaffirmation of Bilateral Treaty and Support for Russia
Choe reaffirmed Pyongyang's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties under the treaty signed by the two leaders in June 2024. [4] She described the unwavering and consistent position of North Korea's government as one that continuously develops and strengthens relations on the basis of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. [4] Choe pledged that North Korea would continue to support Russia's efforts to defend its sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity, as well as address the root causes of the crisis in Ukraine. [4] Putin thanked the North Korean leadership once again for its support of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. [4] These statements highlighted the practical outcomes of the partnership established earlier. [4]
Speculation Over Potential Kim Jong-un Visit
The meeting occurs amid growing expectations that Kim could visit Russia later this year for another summit with Putin. [4] Putin invited Kim to visit Russia during his trip to Pyongyang in June 2024, though a return visit has yet to take place. [4] Observers note that Choe's visit marks her first trip to Russia in about nine months since October 2025, when she traveled to Moscow before attending a security forum in Belarus. [4] The timing suggests Pyongyang is prioritizing preparations for another North Korea-Russia summit. [4] Analysts indicate that with Putin having already visited North Korea, it is now Kim's turn to travel to Russia. [4] A summit could take place on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok this September, although a separate visit to Moscow is also possible. [4] If held, the summit would allow Pyongyang to demonstrate successive summit diplomacy with both China and Russia, highlighting its increasingly close ties with its two traditional partners. [4] Putin's public expression of gratitude for North Korea's military assistance in Ukraine has also fueled speculation that Moscow could seek additional support from Pyongyang as the war continues. [4]
Seoul's Response and Monitoring
South Korea's Unification Ministry is monitoring the situation but has not confirmed any specific agenda regarding a Kim-Putin summit. [4] Unification Ministry spokesperson Yoon Min-ho stated that the government was closely monitoring developments. [4] Yoon noted that Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui is visiting Russia at the invitation of the Russian foreign minister, and according to Russian reports, she met with President Putin on July 19. [4] He added that as for the agenda mentioned in speculation, nothing has been made public yet, so the government will continue to monitor the situation. [4] Although Choe's visit comes ahead of ASEAN-related foreign ministers' meetings, many experts believe Pyongyang's focus is on coordinating exchanges between the two countries' top leaders rather than on the regional diplomatic meetings. [4]
What to watch next is whether a summit between Kim and Putin materializes at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok this September or through a separate visit to Moscow, following the pattern of prior meetings in 2023 and 2025. [4]
