New Russian Ambassador to North Korea Arrives in Pyongyang

SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- New Russian Ambassador to North Korea Andrei Podelyshev arrived in North Korea on Saturday to take up his new post, according the Russian Embassy in North Korea and media reports.

Podelyshev arrived in Pyongyang with his wife and were received at the airport by the North's foreign ministry officials and embassy staff, the Russian Embassy said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

According to Russia's Tass news agency, the ambassador said he will work to further advance practical cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang to its "full potential."

"I see my task as stepping up our practical interaction across various fields, including economic, cultural, education and sports, and maximizing the vast potential of our bilateral cooperation," he was quoted by Tass as saying.

He also noted that ties between Russia and North Korea have reached a "very high level," thanks to their leaders.

Podelyshev called for the two sides to look further into the future and set "more ambitious" goals, according to the news report.

Podelyshev visited the Liberation Tower to pay tribute to Soviet soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. He also toured a memorial honoring North Korean soldiers killed in Russia's war in Ukraine and laid flowers to pay his respects, the posting showed.

Podelyshev was appointed as the new ambassador to Pyongyang in July 2026, following the sudden death of his predecessor, Alexander Matsegora, in Pyongyang in December 2025.