Minsk: North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has held talks with her Belarusian counterpart in Minsk and agreed to step up joint efforts to safeguard their mutual interests on the international stage, the North's state media reported Friday. The meeting aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and fostering cooperation between the two countries.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the meeting between Choe and Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov took place Wednesday. Discussions focused on developing North Korea-Belarus relations based on sovereignty, equality, and reciprocity, aligning with the mutual interests of both nations. The ministers reached a consensus on bolstering efforts to protect their shared interests on the global stage.
The diplomatic engagement follows nearly two months after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing during a Chinese military parade on September 3. During that meeting, Kim extended an invitation for the Belarusian president to visit North Korea, signaling growing ties between the two nations.
Belarus, along with North Korea, has shown support for Russia's actions in Ukraine, indicating a strengthening alliance. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) also reported Choe's participation in the Third Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security, where she criticized the trilateral South Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance as a threat to the region's security.
Choe highlighted frequent military exercises targeting North Korea, including scenarios involving nuclear weapons. She emphasized North Korea's unwavering commitment to safeguarding its security and enhancing its national military capabilities.