North Korea’s top diplomat in Moscow for talks on ties amid concerns

Russia’s top diplomat on Tuesday hosted his North Korean counterpart for talks on expanding ties between the two countries amid international concerns over an alleged arms cooperation deal between Pyongyang and Moscow.
At the start of the meeting, Sergei Lavrov said he and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui would discuss “active work” on implementing the agreements reached by the countries’ leaders.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia in September to meet President Vladimir Putin and visit several military sites, sparking international concerns about an arms alliance that would help Moscow replenish its arsenals amid the fighting in Ukraine.
Putin is set to host Choe later in the day. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian president will visit North Korea on Kim’s invitation “at a convenient time” and based “on mutual agreement.”