ALBAWABA - At the invitation of the Ministry of National Defence of North Korea, A Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang, in what counts as North Korea's first known foreign visitors since its pandemic border closure.
The delegation, led by Shoigu, will take part in Pyongyang's celebration of the 70th anniversary of "Victory Day" on Thursday, according to state media agency KCNA.
"Flags of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation were fluttering at the flagstaffs and the guards of honor of the Korean People's Army (KPA) lined up at the station before the terminal," KCNA stated.
North Korea closed its border to all commerce and diplomatic relations in early 2020, including with its primary economic and political partners, China and Russia. The official media article did not specify if the trips represented a policy shift.
The Russian delegation is expected to be joined by a Chinese delegation later on Wednesday, led by Politburo member Li Hongzhong.
China's trade with North Korea was eight times higher in June than the previous year when North Korea was reporting tens of thousands of COVID-19 cases every day and had closed its border.
Commenting on the visits, U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Tuesday that both Russia and China "can use their influence over the DPRK (North Korea) to encourage them to refrain from threatening, unlawful behavior", "They also have a potential role to play in encouraging the DPRK to return to the negotiating table," Patel added.
