Russia defence minister says North Korea ‘an important partner’ during visit

MOSCOW: Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday hailed his country’s partnership with North Korea during a meeting with his counterpart Kang Sun Nam in Pyongyang.

“For Russia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is an important partner, with which we share a common border and a rich history of cooperation,” Shoigu said according to a ministry statement.

The defence ministry released footage of a roundtable meeting with defence officials, which Shoigu said would “contribute to strengthening cooperation between our ministries of defence”.

Russian and Chinese delegations, North Korea’s first known foreign visitors since its pandemic border closure, came to Pyongyang to attend Korean War anniversary events.

Shoigu said he was “grateful to my Korean friends for the rich programme offered. From the first minutes I felt your care and attention”.

Russia, a historic ally of North Korea, is one of a handful of nations with which it maintains friendly relations.