Moscow — North Korea's top diplomat visited the Kremlin on Monday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following a summit between the two countries last month.
President Putin and Kim Jong Un met in Beijing in September after attending a large military parade in the center of China's capital commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
According to televised remarks at the beginning of the meeting, President Putin on Monday asked North Korean Foreign Minister Chun Son Hui to convey his congratulations to Kim, noting that they had had a warm meeting.
Before attending Kremlin talks with President Vladimir Putin, Choi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who once again praised the North Korean military for fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region following the surprise invasion of Ukrainian forces.
“These heroic acts will, of course, further strengthen the bonds of friendship and historical solidarity in our common struggle for justice,” Foreign Minister Lavrov said.
Choe noted “considerable progress” in bilateral relations and emphasized North Korea's “unwavering” support for “the policies of the Russian leadership aimed at defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international justice.”
According to South Korea's assessment, North Korea has sent about 15,000 troops to Russia since last fall and also supplied large amounts of military equipment, including artillery and ballistic missiles, to support Russia's military operations in Ukraine. Kim also agreed to send thousands of military construction workers and deminers to Russia's Kursk region.