North Korea, Russia vow deeper strategic ties after Moscow talks
Pyongyang said it reached consensus with Moscow on all major issues, signaling more institutionalized cooperation and possible expanded military coordination.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 19.TASS/YONHAP
North Korea said it reached a "consensus on all the issues" discussed with Russia during a foreign ministers' meeting held under the name of a "strategic dialogue," a move analysts said signaled the two countries' intention to deepen cooperation.
The third strategic dialogue between North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took place in Moscow on Monday, according to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports on Tuesday. Choe made the official visit at Lavrov's invitation, her first trip to Russia in nine months since October last year.
The two sides held "constructive and beneficial strategic communication" focused on implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, high-level exchanges, plans for broad-based cooperation and diplomatic coordination on major international issues.
North Korea and Russia signed the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership in June 2024. Since signing the treaty, the two countries have held strategic dialogues in Moscow in November 2024 and Wonsan in July 2025.
"The two sides reaffirmed their steadfast political will to accelerate the long-term multifaceted development of the bilateral relations, irrespective of the changing situation, under the strategic guidance at the highest level," KCNA added.
The dialogue was an opportunity for North Korea and Russia to discuss implementation of the bilateral treaty as well as expanding exchanges and cooperation.
"The fact that this was explicitly designated the third strategic dialogue suggests the talks are becoming regularized and institutionalized," Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said. "North Korea has recently been seeking to elevate its strategic standing by strengthening ties with both China and Russia."
A Ministry of Unification official offered a similar assessment.
"The talks demonstrated the two countries' efforts to institutionalize high-level communication and their commitment to implementing the treaty and expanding cooperation in various fields after signing the pact in 2024," the ministry official said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui shake hands during talks in Wonsan, North Korea, in October 2025.RODONG SINMUN/NEWS1
Russia also expressed "full support" for "all efforts and measures" by North Korea to defend its sovereignty and security interests, while opposing "all hostile acts posing a serious threat to its present position and right to development," according to KCNA.
North Korea, in turn, expressed its "invariable support" for "all the internal and external policies of the Russian Federation," which included eliminating the "root cause of the Ukrainian dispute, defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international justice."
The two countries also agreed to "defend the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and other international law with sovereignty equality and noninterference in internal affairs as the core" and "find solutions to effectively counter the regional and global security challenges."
North Korea and Russia also agreed to continue "strategic dialogue at ministerial level" and exchange views.
Experts said North Korea appears to be seeking compensation for its troop deployment to Russia.
"North Korea is portraying its military support for Russia as a legitimate act contributing to world peace," Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said. "Given that North Korea and Russia see trilateral security cooperation among [South] Korea, the United States and Japan as the greatest security challenge, there is a strong possibility they will pursue even bolder military cooperation."
Water is released from Gunnam Flood Control Dam on the Imjin River in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi, on July 15.YONHAP
Separately, the Unification Ministry said Tuesday that humanitarian cooperation between the two Koreas is needed after North Korea released water from the Hwanggang Dam — on the upper reaches of the Imjin River — without prior notice.
"Joint responses to natural disasters are humanitarian issues that require cooperation between the two Koreas," a ministry official said.
The official noted that prior notification of water releases from the Hwanggang Dam had been agreed upon multiple times between the two sides. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment concluded Monday that North Korea began releasing water from the dam based on satellite image analysis.
"The government will continue to closely monitor the situation in cooperation with relevant agencies to prevent damage to residents in border areas," the official said.
North Korea has refused to answer regular inter-Korean liaison calls since April 2023. In response, the South Korean government has used public announcements through the media and loudspeakers in the Joint Security Area to convey urgent messages to the North.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
