Secretary Choe Ryong Hae of the Chosun
Workers’ Party, is scheduled to visit Russia in
the near future as a special envoy for Kim Jong Eun, according to a Chosun
Central News Agency report published on November 14th.
The report makes no mention of the trip’s
goals or intentions; details on the schedule or logistics are also absent from
the brief statement.
In Kim Jong Eun’s
stead, Choe Ryong Hae is expected to meet with Russia’s President Vladimir
Putin to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.
Speculation that Kim Jong Eun would
personally visit his counterpart seem improbable given that the leader has yet to
visit China, sending Choe Ryong Hae in his place to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping last May.
This is the first North Korean envoy set to visit Russia during Kim Jong Eun’s era, garnering a great deal of
attention as a result. Amid cooling relations with China, North Korea has been actively
pursuing more economic collaboration with Russia with the upcoming trip fitting in with recent efforts by the North to expand its trade diversification.
Chosun People’s Army Defense Minister Hyon
Yong Chol, met Russia’s President Vladimir Putin last week during a trip to celebrate
the 90th birthday of former Soviet Union Defense Minister Dmitry Yazov,
understood as a move to strengthen military ties between the neighboring countries.
Additionally, reaffirming close ties with
Permanent U.N. Security Council Member Russia may be part of the North’s strategy to deflect mounting international pressure over its human
rights infringements.
