Russian Ambassador to North Korea "North Korea is an important partner... strengthening economic, scientific and technological cooperation"

The new Russian ambassador to North Korea emphasized North Korea as an “important foreign policy partner” and expressed his will to strengthen the alliance.

According to the Russian Embassy in North Korea's Telegram channel on the 10th, Ambassador Andrei Leonidovich Podyolyshev said in an interview with the Russian news agency Interfax that day, "North Korea, which shares a border, has always held an important position as Russia's foreign policy partner and will continue to do so in the future."

He cited the ‘Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ concluded at the North Korea-Russia summit in June 2024 and the dispatch of North Korean troops to the Ukraine war as representative examples of cooperation.

At the same time, he emphasized, "We must seek ways to expand cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, investment, transportation and logistics, energy, natural resources, agriculture, health, science, education, culture, sports, and tourism," and added, "Links between local governments of the two countries and direct exchanges between companies, institutions, and organizations must also be strengthened."

In particular, he selected the 13th North Korea-Russia Trade, Economy and Science and Technology Cooperation Committee, scheduled to be held in Pyongyang at the end of this year, as one of the main agendas between the two countries.

He went on to say, “Russia’s investment projects, which are excluded from the UN Security Council’s sanctions, continue to be promoted in North Korea,” referring to the operation of the modernized section of the Hassan-Rajin Railway (51km) and the construction of a complex transshipment terminal at Rajin Port.

In addition, he cited the opening of the Duman River automobile bridge (Novichenko Bridge) connecting North Korea and Russia as an important achievement and introduced, "The next infrastructure project is the Russia-North Korea Friendship Hospital to be built in Wonsan."

Ambassador Podyolyshev said that life in North Korea has changed a lot recently and that "e-commerce, online services, delivery and taxi services, and private car transportation are actively developing."

“Pyongyang and the surrounding areas are being built with modern residential complexes, restaurants, shopping and entertainment centers,” he said, and strongly encouraged Russians to visit Pyongyang and North Korea in person, the Interfax news agency reported.