In the most recent meeting between the neighbours, a North Korean minister and the governor of the Russian area that borders both Korea and Russia discussed ways to strengthen regional economic cooperation, state agency KCNA said on Wednesday.
“Elevating economic cooperation to a higher level” was the stated goal of the discussions between Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of the Russian territory of Primorsky, and North Korea‘s Minister of External Economic Relations, Yun Jong Ho.
The KCNA article stated that the two sides’ trade and economic working groups had reached a deal, but it omitted information on the specifics of that agreement or the officials’ meeting.
Primorye is another colloquial name for Primorsky.
The meeting takes place as the Yonhap news agency reports that on Tuesday, South Korea’s spy service said that there had been indications that North Korea was planning to send labourers to Russia.
A nation that pays North Korean labourers would be breaking sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council to stop Pyongyang’s prohibited weapons development since the money would be used to fund the projects.
“This marks our first visit following a protracted hiatus brought on by the pandemic,” Kozhemyako posted on his Telegram account. The itinerary of our visit includes numerous talks aimed at fostering humanitarian relations between the DPRK and Primorye. primarily in the areas of sports, tourism, and culture.”
Kozhemyako stated in November to the Russian state news agency TASS that Primorye was prepared to explore the prospect of letting North Korean farmers use a portion of its land for farming.
Since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Russia in September and met with President Vladimir Putin to discuss expanding military cooperation, Kozhemyako’s visit is the most recent in a string of bilateral visits.
This promise was made against the backdrop of what American authorities claimed to be proof of an arms trade between Russia, which is consuming enormous quantities of ammunition in its conflict with Ukraine, and the North.
In a “friendly atmosphere,” North Korea’s premier Kim Tok Hun met with Russia’s minister of natural resources Alexander Kozlov last month, according to Pyongyang’s official media at the time.
During the same month, a group headed by the North Korean minister of culture visited Saint Petersburg to attend the St Petersburg International Cultural Forum.
In the Russian city of Perm in October, a delegation from the North Korean Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports took part in the International Sports Forum.
