Russia's Lavrov visits North Korea
Russian state media said Lavrov will discuss the Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Korean peninsula with his North Korean counterpart. Photo: Reuters
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in North Korea on Friday, North Korea's state media KCNA said on Saturday, the latest visit by a senior Russian official to the isolated state amid warming ties between the countries.
Lavrov's visit, scheduled to Sunday, includes a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers, KCNA reported.
Lavrov flew out of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur following the Asean foreign ministers' meeting and arrived in Wonsan, North Korea's eastern coastal city, which is home to a recently opened resort and known for its missile and naval facilities.
Lavrov's visit is the latest high-level meeting between the two countries amid a dramatic upgrading of their strategic cooperation that now includes a mutual defence pact.
The South Korean intelligence service has said North Korea may be preparing to deploy additional troops in July or August, after sending more than 10,000 soldiers to fight with Russia in the war against Ukraine.
North Korea has agreed to dispatch 6,000 military engineers and builders for reconstruction in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a mass cross-border incursion nearly a year ago.
Russian news agencies also reported Lavrov's arrival and said after North Korea he is expected to travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, which is set to take place on Monday and Tuesday.
Russia's state TASS news agency said Lavrov and his North Korean counterpart, Choi Son Hui, would discuss the 40-month-old Ukraine conflict and the situation on the Korean peninsula.
TASS said the new coastal resort could boost Russian tourism to North Korea, citing the resumption of direct trains from Moscow to Pyongyang and a project to build a bridge across the Tumen River forming part of the boundary between North Korea, China and Russia.
TASS quoted Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko as saying more high-level delegations would visit North Korea later this year.
Rudenko said the accord on strategic partnership "clearly meets the changing needs over recent decades and strengthens traditionally friendly, good-neighbourly Russian-Korean relations to a qualitatively new level as allies." (Reuters)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Russia's Lavrov arrives in North Korea, underscoring warming ties amid Ukraine war
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in North Korea on Friday, North Korea's state media KCNA said, the latest visit by a senior Russian official to the isolated state amid warming ties between the countries. The visit, scheduled to last until Sunday, included a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers, KCNA reported on Saturday. Lavrov flew out of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur following the Asean foreign ministers' meeting and arrived in Wonsan , North Korea's eastern coastal city, which is home to a recently opened resort and known for its missile and naval facilities. His visit is the latest high-level meeting between the two countries amid a dramatic upgrading of their strategic cooperation that now includes a mutual defence pact. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (centre) walks from the plane upon his arrival at Wonsan, North Korea, on Friday. Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/AP The South Korean intelligence service has said North Korea may be preparing to deploy additional troops in July or August, after sending more than 10,000 soldiers to fight with Russia in the war against Ukraine
RTHK
5 hours ago
- RTHK
Worker dies after raid on California farm
Worker dies after raid on California farm Tear gas billows from cannisters thrown by federal agents, during an immigration raid on an agricultural facility in Camarillo. Photo: Reuters A farm worker died on Friday after being injured during a raid by US immigration agents on a legal cannabis farm in California that resulted in arrests of 200 undocumented migrants and clashes with protestors. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, condemned attacks by the demonstrators on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents and other members of law enforcement and said "these slimeballs" should be arrested. Trump's remarks on X came a day after a chaotic raid on a cannabis plantation in Ventura County some 90 kilometres from Los Angeles that left one farm worker critically injured. The United Farm Workers said in a post on X on Friday that the worker had "died of injuries they sustained as a result of yesterday's immigration enforcement action." The union did not identify the worker, who reportedly suffered a 10-metre fall during Thursday's raid. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said 200 undocumented migrants were arrested during raids on marijuana grow sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo on Thursday and 10 children were rescued "from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking." Glass House Brands, which owns the farms, said in a statement that it has "never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors." The company said it was providing legal representation to detained workers. DHS said more than 500 "rioters" had attempted to disrupt the operation and four US citizens are facing charges for assaulting or resisting officers. Tear gas was used against the protestors, some of whom were seen in television footage throwing projectiles at law enforcement vehicles. The department said immigration agency vehicles were damaged and a US$50,000 reward was being offered for the arrest of an individual who allegedly fired a gun at law enforcement officers. In his post on X, Trump said he had watched footage of "thugs" throwing rocks and bricks at ICE vehicles, causing "tremendous damage." Trump said law enforcement officers who are "on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, (are authorized) to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so." "I am giving Total Authorization for ICE to protect itself, just like they protect the Public," he said. Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to deport millions of migrants, has been involved in a showdown over immigration enforcement with Democratic-ruled California for weeks. The Republican president sent thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles last month to quell protests against roundups of undocumented migrants by federal agents. (AFP)
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Wang Yi reiterates Beijing's rejection of South China Sea ruling
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi restated Beijing's rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling on Friday, on the eve of the ruling's ninth anniversary, amid renewed tensions and growing speculation about a potential second legal challenge. Calling the decision a 'farce', Wang said the case, brought by the Philippines against China's South China Sea claims and ruled on by a tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, was 'orchestrated and manipulated by external powers'. Their purpose 'was to destabilise the South China Sea for their own benefit', Wang said during the annual East Asian foreign ministers' meetings in Kuala Lumpur. He said China works to maintain stability in the region and has been speeding up the negotiation of a binding South China Sea code of conduct with Asean. 'All attempts to stir up trouble or sow discord will ultimately fail,' he added. The Philippines filed the case with the court in 2013, but Beijing refused to participate.
