As reported by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its official website on Thursday, Lavrov met with his counterpart Choi Song-hee in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, where he is on an official visit.

The Russian minister recalled the Soviet Union’s key role in liberating Korea from Japanese colonial rule. The USSR was the first to recognize the Korean State and help develop the national economy, science, culture, and education.

Lavrov stressed that the invaluable contribution of Comrade Kim Il-sung and Comrade Kim Jong-il in developing relations between the two countries will always be remembered in Russia.

Choi, in turn, stated that the private meetings between the foreign ministers of both nations, where friendly ties are being strengthened, prove that the relations between the DPRK and Russia are developing with new vitality.

The head of North Korean diplomacy welcomed Lavrov’s visit to Pyongyang, which is aimed at strengthening cooperation and solidarity, and expressed confidence that the meeting would play a significant role in implementing the agreements reached during the summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un held in September.

Earlier, Lavrov announced that Russia and North Korea plan to develop cooperation not subject to pressure from Western countries.

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