On Thursday, Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, held talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during his visit to North Korea. They emphasized strengthening bilateral relations and signed a friendship treaty.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Friday that Kim met with President Lukashenko of Belarus, who was on an official visit to North Korea.
The newspaper noted that this marked the first official visit by President Lukashenko since establishing diplomatic relations, and Kim warmly welcomed him. It added that Kim expressed support for and solidarity with Belarus’s policies aimed at achieving social and political stability, economic development, and safeguarding sovereign rights on the international stage.
President Lukashenko expressed gratitude for the invitation to visit Pyongyang. He remarked that although their countries are geographically distant, their bilateral relationship, rooted in a long tradition of friendship and shared values, has now entered a new phase of development.
The newspaper reported that they discussed plans to strengthen exchanges and cooperation across various fields, including high-level exchanges, and exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their meeting and discussions, affirming their belief that the cooperative relationship between Pyongyang and Minsk would expand in ways that benefit their respective populations.
Following the talks, they held a ceremony to sign the friendship treaty and took commemorative photos. The newspaper mentioned that they also signed agreements on cooperation in various fields, including diplomacy, public relations, agriculture, education, and health. However, military cooperation was not mentioned.
During the visit, President Lukashenko and Kim exchanged gifts. While North Korean media did not specify the details, Belarusian state news reported that President Lukashenko presented a Belarusian-made VSK series assault rifle, a traditional Slutsk belt, and chocolates. Kim reciprocated with a special gold coin and a vase.
The North Korean delegation included Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, Party Secretary Kim Song-nam, First Deputy Prime Minister Kim Tok-hun, Minister of External Economic Affairs Yun Jong-ho, and Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kyung-su. The Belarusian side included Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, Health Minister Alexander Gozhiyev, Education Minister Andrei Ivanets, and Minister of Industry Andrei Kuznetsov.
On the previous day, North Korea hosted a welcoming banquet and performance for President Lukashenko.
During the banquet, Kim stated that he’s pleased that today’s meeting reaffirms the commitment to further strengthen the friendship between North Korea and Belarus. He believes it can achieve many beneficial outcomes for the development and well-being of the peoples.
President Lukashenko also noted that the friendship between their countries is developing rapidly. He added that they agreed to deepen comprehensive cooperation and confirmed their aligned views on international issues.
President Lukashenko concluded his two-day visit to North Korea, which began on Wednesday, departing Pyongyang on a private jet the following day.
This summit and treaty signing can be interpreted as an effort to expand solidarity with pro-Russian factions, including Belarus, amid growing ties between North Korea and Russia. It appears that North Korea is diversifying its diplomatic landscape by enhancing cooperation with Eastern European countries, with Russia as a central axis.
