By Shannon Tiezzi
Moscow and Pyongyang talk economics and nuclear issues during Choe Ryong-hae’s visit to Russia.
Choe Ryong-hae, reportedly North Korea’s number two, concluded meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week. Choe, who is acting as a special envoy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, will visit Khabarovsk and Vladivostok in addition to Moscow on his seven-day visit to Russia.
According to NK News, North Korean media quoted Putin as describing a “long-standing tradition of friendship and cooperation” between Moscow and Pyongyang during his meeting with Choe. Choe came bearing a letter to Putin from Kim Jong-un. According to Xinhua, the letter indicated Kim’s “readiness to develop our bilateral ties and cooperate in resolving the problems which persist on the Korean Peninsula.”
Choe emphasized “expanding and developing the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations onto a higher stage” in 2015. The two sides have agreed to continue contact at all levels, including “the summit level” within an unspecified time frame. A Putin-Kim meeting would be especially interesting as Kim has not yet met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, though China is traditionally North Korea’s strongest backer.
Read the full story at The Diplomat