‘Visiting’ Russian delegation wraps up Economic Joint Commission schedule…talks with Kim Duk-hoon before returning home .

(Pyongyang Rodong Sinmun=News1) North Korea’s Workers’ Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on the 17th that “The Russian Federation government delegation, led by Alexander Kozlov, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, who attended the 10th meeting of the Trade, Economic, and Scientific and Technical Cooperation Committee (Economic Joint Committee) between the Republic’s government and the Russian Federation government, left Pyongyang on the 16th.” [For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. Redistribution Prohibited] rodongphoto@news1.kr

The Russian government delegation, which was visiting North Korea, has completed the 10th Economic Joint Committee schedule and left Pyongyang.

The Workers’ Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on the 17th that “The Russian Federation government delegation, led by Alexander Kozlov, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, left Pyongyang on the 16th.” They received a farewell at Pyongyang International Airport from North Korean officials such as Yun Jeong-ho, the Minister of External Economic Affairs.

Before leaving Pyongyang, they met with Prime Minister Kim Deok-hoon. The newspaper reported that they met with Prime Minister Kim at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on the 16th and that “the conversation proceeded in a comradely and friendly atmosphere.”

It appears that they did not meet with Secretary General Kim Jong-un during this visit to North Korea. Secretary General Kim has not been seen since he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited North Korea for a foreign ministers’ meeting last month.

(Pyongyang Rodong Sinmun=News1) The Russian Federation delegation meeting with Prime Minister Kim Deok-hoon. [For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. Redistribution Prohibited] rodongphoto@news1.kr

Before leaving, they visited economic and cultural sites, including the North Korean light industry product exhibition ‘Development of Light Industry-2023’, the Mansudae Art Studio Art Exhibition Hall, and the Daesung Department Store.

The newspaper reported that they “felt the development of our light industry, which is leaping day by day under the guidance of the party that puts the improvement of people’s lives as the most important task.”

They visited North Korea on the 14th to attend the 10th meeting of the Trade, Economic and Scientific and Technical Cooperation Committee (Economic Joint Committee) between North Korea and Russia. Not only economic issues but also sports meetings were held, and they decided to strengthen cooperation in the fields of economy and sports in the future.

The North Korea-Russia Economic Joint Committee is a ministerial-level economic cooperation promotion consultative body between North Korea and Russia, which has been held a total of nine times since 1996. The 10th meeting was agreed upon at the summit meeting between Secretary General Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin last September.

Although the specific agreement was not disclosed, it is expected that various economic cooperation measures, such as North Korea-Russia economic logistics cooperation centered on Najin and Hasan, and the issue of dispatching North Korean workers to Russia, were discussed, and it is expected that economic exchanges between North Korea and Russia will become more active in the future.

(Pyongyang Rodong Sinmun=News1) The Russian government delegation touring the light industry product exhibition. [For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. Redistribution Prohibited] rodongphoto@news1.kr

yeh25@news1.kr