North Korean foreign minister on official visit to Russia, state media say

East Asia Top diplomat Choe Son Hui has flown to Moscow for talks with her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday (Jul 19). File photo of North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui in Moscow on Jan 16, 2024. Sputnik/Artem Geodakyan/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo MOSCOW: North Korea’s top diplomat has flown to Moscow for talks with her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, state media reported on Sunday (Jul 19).Choe Son Hui and her party departed Pyongyang for Russia aboard “her personal plane” on Jul 18, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.Russia’s foreign ministry had earlier announced the visit by the envoy for its ally and staunch supporter of the war on Ukraine.The two countries signed a defence agreement when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang in 2024. North Korea has sent missiles, munitions and thousands of troops to assist Russia in Ukraine, and analysts say Moscow is sending financial aid, military technology, food and energy to the diplomatically isolated country in return. In April, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to help Russia win its “sacred” war.Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and several other high-ranking officials visited Pyongyang in April for talks on strengthening military ties.Belousov said Moscow was ready to sign a cooperation plan for the period 2027 to 2031.South Korea and the European Union have condemned the partnership between the two countries.North Korea’s foreign ministry has hit back, saying cooperation with Russia is an “exercise of sovereign rights”.