On Wednesday, Russian officials announced the groundbreaking ceremony for a Russia-North Korea Friendship General Hospital in Wonsan, North Korea.
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko stated at the ceremony that the hospital’s construction is a direct implementation of the agreement reached between President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, according to TASS news agency.
Murashko emphasized that the hospital project is part of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty aimed at improving the well-being of citizens in both countries. He highlighted this as a key focus of the treaty in the medical field. The minister noted that North Korean doctors have been studying Russian expertise in specialties such as obstetrics, organ transplantation, cardiovascular surgery, and oncology for several years.
At the event, Alexander Kozlov, Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources, pointed out that Wonsan is a major tourist destination in North Korea. He stressed that high-quality hospitality services must include professional medical support.
The hospital’s location within the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area, which opened last July, suggests it will also serve as medical infrastructure for foreign tourists, including those from Russia, according to analysts.
Kozlov had previously mentioned at a North Korea-Russia intergovernmental committee meeting last November that Russia was supporting the construction of the Wonsan General Hospital and preparing to provide equipment for hospitals in Pyongyang.
Since the signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in June 2024, North Korea and Russia have expanded their medical cooperation. They signed a bilateral health agreement in 2024, and in November 2025, Minister Murashko visited Pyongyang to formalize collaboration in joint pharmaceutical production, infectious disease management, maternal and child health, and non-communicable diseases. Russia is also supplying medical equipment to North Korean hospitals and offering training programs for North Korean medical personnel in Russia.
North Korean officials at the groundbreaking ceremony included First Deputy Prime Minister Kim Tok-hun and Foreign Economic Minister Yoon Jeong-ho.