Russian president receives N. Korean FM in Kremlin

MOSCOW. Jan 16 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, who held talks in Moscow, on Tuesday.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin received North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Son Hui in the Kremlin," Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

The Russian and North Korean foreign ministers briefed Putin on the agreements reached, he said.

Lavrov said earlier that the parties plan to discuss further expansion of cooperation between the two countries, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and will sum up the results of implementing the agreements reached at the summit between Putin and Kim Jong Un.

Choe and her Russian counterpart came to meet with Putin following their talks in Moscow earlier on Tuesday.

Choe arrived in Russia the previous day on an official visit.

For his part, Lavrov visited Pyongyang last October, where he was also received by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The ministers "will brief the president on the results of their negotiations, on how discussions proceeded in furtherance of the agreements reached between the heads of state [at their meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome on September 13, 2023]," Peskov said earlier.

As to whether it's possible to say that preparations for Putin's trip to North Korea are being made within the framework of the North Korean foreign minister's visit to Russia, Peskov reaffirmed that Putin's visit to North Korea remains "on the agenda." "There is a valid invitation, and Putin will definitely use it at a convenient time with the mutual consent of the sides," he said.