North Korean foreign minister vows to expand relations with Belarus

North Korea's top diplomat has hosted a banquet for her visiting counterpart from Belarus, vowing to expand their relations comprehensively, North Korea's state media said Wednesday, as experts forecast trilateral cooperation involving Russia.

Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui hosted the banquet Tuesday night upon the arrival of Maxim Vladimirovich Ryzhenkov for an official visit, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The Belarusian foreign minister will be in Pyongyang until Friday.

During a speech, Choe mentioned that the two countries share "common ideals and purposes," adding that it is the North Korean government's firm stance to bring their relations to a "new chronicle."

In his speech, Ryzhenkov also emphasized that both Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un have shown deep interest in enhancing the relations between the two countries based on mutual trust, respect and understanding.

The KCNA did not elaborate on a bilateral meeting between the top diplomats, but given the countries' deepening ties with Russia, experts say Ryzhenkov's trip will likely center on building trilateral cooperation to better cope with their separate disputes with the West.

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 resolutions.

"There is a high possibility of such trilateral cooperation involving Russia," said Hyun Seung-soo, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, adding there are views within Russia that the cooperation could extend to both the economic and military sectors.

During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last September, President Lukashenko suggested that Belarus could join Russia and North Korea in three-way cooperation.

"Putin desires to create a structure where Russia's friendly nations in Eurasia can cooperate without Western interference," Hyun said.

Hyun also pointed to the possibility of trilateral cooperation in the agriculture sector, as Belarus is located next to Ukraine's agricultural areas currently under Russian control.

Yonhap