The visit takes place against the background of intensified cooperation of both countries in the military-technical field.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived on Friday for a working visit to North Korea. Referring to the Russian state media, AFP reported this, adding that Lavrov’s visit would last until 13 July.
He is held in the Asian Tour, during which he also visited Malaysia, where he met with American diplomacy chief Marc Rubi, writes TASR.
Negotiations with DPRK
Lavrov is expected to meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK CCHE Son-Hui on Saturday, with whom he will negotiate within the second round of strategic dialogue between Russia and North Korea.
Since the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened significantly. North Korea has become one of the few states that openly support Russian policy on international issues – including the recognition of annexed territories of Ukraine.
Strategic partnership
In June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang, where he and the DPRK leader Kim Jong-unai signed a new strategic partnership agreement. According to both parties, the document contains a mutual obligation for military aid in the event of an attack by one of the parties, an extension of military-technical cooperation and deeper coordination in the field of defense and security.
Apparently, in accordance with this treaty, North Korean soldiers participated in operations in the Kursk region in the west of Russia, where Ukrainian troops penetrated as part of their offensive in August 2024. Russia admitted the deployment of DPRK soldiers in these fights in May 2025.
Support of Russian operations
In addition, the United States and South Korea have repeatedly accused North Korea of supplies of artillery ammunition and missiles for the Russian army to be used in Ukraine. Satellite images and news data indicate the movement of shipments through ports in the northeast of the Asian part of Russia.
There are also suspicions that Russia is helping the DPRK in the development of military technologies – including ballistic missiles and satellite systems. In November 2023, the DPRK successfully released its first spy satellite, while South Korea claimed that this happened thanks to Russian aid provided in exchange for ammunition from the DPRK.
