DPRK FM says Pyongyang 'ready to greet' Putin

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
21 Jan 2024 04:51

DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui says Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed "his willingness to visit the DPRK at an early date."

In this photo provided by the DPRK government, Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un shake hands as they meet at the Vostochny cosmodrome outside the city of Tsiolkovsky, in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

The DPRK's top diplomat said Pyongyang is "ready to greet" Russian President Vladimir Putin, state media reported Sunday, in the latest sign of deepening ties between the two countries.

Traditional allies Russia and the DPRK have recently boosted ties, with Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un making a rare overseas trip to meet Putin in Russia's Far East last September.

The West has accused Moscow and Pyongyang of working together to allegedly support Russia militarily in the ongoing Ukraine war. But Moscow rejected Western allegations claiming that Russia's collaboration with the DPRK breached UN Security Council resolutions, slamming the accusations as "unfounded and unsubstantiated."

DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was in Moscow last week for meetings with Putin and her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

The DPRK's "government warmly welcomes President Putin to visit Pyongyang and is ready to greet the Korean people's closest friend with the greatest sincerity," Choe told Putin, according to a statement from the foreign minister's assistant office, carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Putin expressed "his willingness to visit the DPRK at an early date", the statement pointed out.

The statement mentioned that Russia had expressed "deep thanks... for extending full support and solidarity to the stand of the Russian government and people on the special military operation in Ukraine."

Last week, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russia intends to further develop relations of partnership with the DPRK in all areas, emphasizing that dialogue will continue at all levels.

This month, the White House accused Pyongyang of allegedly sending ballistic missiles and launchers to Russia in what it called a "significant and concerning escalation."

South Korea has accused the DPRK of having allegedly provided more than one million artillery rounds to Moscow in exchange for advice on military satellite technology. The DPRK succeeded in putting a reconnaissance satellite into orbit last year, with Seoul saying it received Russian help.