North Korea Declares Full Strategic Alignment With Russia

North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said her country shares a common position with Russia on all strategic issues at a ceremony commemorating a late Russian ambassador. Choe made the remarks on May 30 at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang during the unveiling of a memorial plaque dedicated to former Ambassador Alexander Matsegora, according to the Tass news agency.

Matsegora had served as Russia's ambassador to North Korea for more than 10 years and died suddenly at the age of 70 last December while in the post for reasons unknown.

"Today, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation share a common position on all strategic issues, which corresponds to the level of allied relations," Tass quoted Choe as saying. "By consistently defending our core mutual interests, (Moscow and Pyongyang) are achieving success in the comprehensive expansion and development of bilateral relations and in improving the well-being of the peoples of the two countries," she also noted.

Choe expressed North Korea's commitment to ensuring the comprehensive expansion and development of relations with Russia "on the basis of comradeship and trust forged in blood through the harsh trials of time," Tass reported.

An image of Choe speaking at the ceremony on May 31, 2026, was captured from the embassy's Telegram account, Yonhap said. The report was published on May 31, 2026.