SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has returned home from her visit to Russia, the state media said Wednesday.

Choe and her delegation arrived at Pyongyang International Airport on her personal plane the previous day, greeted by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu and Vladimir Topekha, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a brief dispatch.

Choe made a four-day trip to Moscow starting Saturday at the invitation of her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, as the two states continue to expand ties since their leaders signed a mutual defense pact in 2024.

With no major diplomatic events or anniversaries on the schedule, Choe's visit has fueled speculation that she was there to coordinate a potential trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Russia.

Putin invited Kim to visit Moscow for summit talks when the two leaders met in June 2024. The state media said Choe met with Putin in the Kremlin on Sunday.

Choe held bilateral talks with Lavrov on Monday and agreed to accelerate cooperation centered on implementing their treaty, reaffirming their commitment to develop bilateral relations "under the strategic guidance at the highest level," according to KCNA.

N. Korea FM returns home from Russia trip

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui (L) arrives at Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang on July 21, 2026, following her four-day visit to Russia, in this photo taken from the official Telegram account of the Russian Embassy in the North Korean capital. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

elly@yna.co.kr
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