Moscow announced that Russia and North Korea plan to strengthen their bilateral ties in the field of exploration in North Korean waters for oil and natural gas deposits, DPA reported.
The Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Alexander Kozlov stated today for the Interfax agency that a bilateral agreement was reached at a meeting of representatives of the governments of the two countries. In addition, Moscow and Pyongyang are planning explorations for deposits of gold and rare earth elements.
The goal is to build “comprehensive strong ties,” Kozlov said in the context of accusations that North Korea is supplying Russia with weapons for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The minister added that an increase in Russian supplies of flour, corn and soy products to the DPRK was also discussed.
According to UN data, the grain reserves of isolated North Korea have reached critical levels, and information about famine in the country appears in the media. Kozlov did not specify what the DPRK would deliver to Russia in exchange for the food products.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a visit in September. During his five-day visit, Kim visited a number of military sites, but neither country has announced any military agreement, BTA reported.
The Kremlin has rejected White House accusations that Pyongyang is supplying Moscow with weapons for its war in Ukraine. President Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said some time ago that the US had not presented any evidence of this and that Russia and North Korea had agreed to expand their cooperation “in all areas”.
Tags: Russia North Korea agreed expand bilateral cooperation
