North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui Begins Official Visit to Russia

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui traveled to Russia on Saturday for an official visit, Moscow said, in the latest sign of the tightening partnership between the two heavily sanctioned governments. According to the Russian foreign ministry, she was to arrive on July 18 at the invitation of her counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, for talks in the Russian capital.

The visit comes as Pyongyang openly backs Moscow's war against Ukraine, a stance that has transformed a once-limited relationship into one of the most consequential alignments to emerge from the conflict. North Korea has become one of the few governments willing to publicly support the Kremlin's campaign.

Relations between the two countries have expanded sharply since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The partnership was formalized when Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Pyongyang in 2024 and signed a wide-ranging defense agreement with North Korean leadership, committing each side to assist the other in the event of an armed attack.

The meeting between Choe and Lavrov is expected to touch on security cooperation, the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine and further coordination between the two capitals. Western governments have accused North Korea of supplying weapons and troops to support Russian forces, charges that both Moscow and Pyongyang have alternately denied or declined to confirm.

For South Korea, the deepening axis carries direct security implications. Seoul has repeatedly warned that closer military cooperation could see Russia transfer sensitive technology to the North in exchange for munitions and manpower, potentially accelerating Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs.

The latest diplomatic exchange reflects a broader realignment in which isolated states are drawing closer together as their confrontation with Washington and its allies hardens. Analysts say the frequency of high-level visits between Moscow and Pyongyang signals that the partnership is likely to endure well beyond the current phase of the war.