N. Korea, Belarus’ top diplomats have ‘in-depth’ exchange on regional, international issues

North Korea's top diplomat has met with her visiting counterpart from Belarus, and discussed regional and international situations, North Korea's state media reported Thursday, amid speculation that the nations would strengthen trilateral cooperation with Russia. Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui held talks with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Vladimirovich Ryzhenkov in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The Belarusian diplomat arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday for a four-day visit. They had "in-depth exchanges of views on regional and international affairs," the KCNA stated. The KCNA did not provide further details, but given the countries' deepening ties with Russia, the top diplomats might have discussed Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine. Belarus, led by an authoritarian president for 30 years, has been supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is considered one of Russia's strong allies. It is also among the countries to which North Korea has sent its workers in the past, in violation of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions against the North's nuclear and weapons program. During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last September, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko suggested that Belarus could join Russia and North Korea in three-way cooperation. North Korea's external economic relations minister Yun Jong-ho also held talks with Ryzhenkov, the KCNA said, without providing other details. The talks focused on exploring ways to develop bilateral economic cooperation in areas "not limited" by UNSC resolutions, such as food security, education and health care, the Belarusian Telegraph Agency reported Thursday. The news agency said Belarus wants to provide Belarusian-made food to North Korea and import cosmetics from North Korea. Source: Yonhap News Agency