N. Korea's FM, Putin vow to strengthen bilateral ties ahead of Trump's visit to SK

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Russian President Vladimir Putin have reaffirmed their will to strengthen bilateral ties, the North's state media reported Tuesday, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to South Korea this week. Choe paid a courtesy call on Putin in Moscow the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Choe departed Pyongyang on Sunday to visit Russia and Belarus, a trip that comes as Trump has voiced a wish to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to the South on Oct. 29-30 on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering. Choe and Putin "had good discussions over many businesses to strengthen and develop the North-Russia relations going forward," the KCNA said, without disclosing other details. Putin asked Choe to deliver his "warm greeting" to the North's leader as the top North Korean diplomat conveyed Kim's best wishes to Putin, the report added. Prior to the meeting with Putin, Choe held talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. In a press statement published by the KCNAWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times