Top Russian official visits North Korea to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

A top Russian security official travelled to North Korea on Friday (March 21, 2025) to meet leader Kim Jong Un, after North Korea recently reportedly sent additional troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

A top Russian security official travelled to North Korea on Friday (March 21, 2025) to meet leader Kim Jong Un, after North Korea recently reportedly sent additional troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

A brief dispatch by Russia's state-run news agency Tass reported that Sergey Shoigu, Russia's Security Council secretary, had arrived in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and plans to meet top North Korean officials including Mr. Kim. It gave no further details including what Mr. Shoigu would discuss with Mr. Kim.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency confirmed the arrival of a Russian delegation led by Mr. Shoigu but didn't provide details on the purpose of their visit.

Mr. Shoigu's visit comes after Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after President Donald Trump spoke with the countries' leaders, though it remained to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off limits to attack.

North Korea has been supplying a vast amount of conventional weapons to Russia, and last fall it sent about 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia as well, according to U.S., South Korean and Ukraine intelligence officials. In late February, South Korea's spy agency said North Korea appeared to have sent additional troops to Russia. South Korean media put the number of newly sent North Korean soldiers at about 1,000 to 3,000.

South Korea, the U.S. and others suspect North Korea is receiving economic and military assistance from Russia in return for providing weapons and troops. Many experts say North Korea will likely ramp up its support of Russia to win as much benefits as possible from Russia before the war ends.

Mr. Shoigu's trip could be related to Kim's possible trip to Russia, some observers say. In June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang and signed a major mutual defense treaty with Kim. At the time, Mr. Putin invited Mr. Kim to visit Moscow.