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Key Points

North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly chairman Pak In-chol held talks with Russian, Mongolian, Vietnamese, and Lao officials in Geneva. Russia's Valentina Matvienko emphasized the strong bilateral ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. Notably, Pak did not meet China's Zhao Leji, signaling strained relations. South Korea's delegation attended but had no interaction with the North Korean representative.

Key Points: North Korea's Pak In-chol Meets Russia's Matvienko in Geneva Talks

  • Pak In-chol met Russian, Mongolian, Vietnamese, and Lao counterparts in Geneva
  • Russia's Matvienko praised historic North Korea-Russia relations
  • No talks held between Pak and China's Zhao Leji
  • South Korea's Woo Won-shik attended but did not meet Pak
2 min read

Head of North Korea's assembly holds talks with Russia, three other nations in Geneva

North Korea's assembly chief holds key talks with Russia and three nations in Geneva, strengthening ties amid global tensions.

"Russia-North Korea ties have overcome all kinds of challenges and proved their value – Valentina Matvienko"

Seoul, Aug 3

Pak In-chol, chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, has held talks with his counterparts from Russia and three other countries in Geneva, Switzerland, on the sidelines of a global meeting of assembly chiefs, state media reported Sunday.

Pak met with the chairperson of Russia's Federation Council, as well as the heads of the Mongolian and Vietnamese assemblies and a deputy chairperson of the Lao parliament, during his attendance at the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament from last Tuesday to Thursday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

During her talks with Pak, Valentina Matvienko, the Russian parliamentary speaker, cited the "close friendship" between the North Korean and Russian leaders as the "fundamental element" that has elevated bilateral ties to their highest level in history, the KCNA reported.

The agency also quoted her as saying that Russia-North Korea ties "have overcome all kinds of challenges and proved their value since the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership treaty." She also reaffirmed Russia's solidarity with North Korea.

China's top legislator Zhao Leji also attended the global event, but no talks took place between him and Pak, a possible sign that bilateral ties have yet to fully recover after being strained by Pyongyang's close alignment with Russia over the war with Ukraine, Yonhap news agency reported.

The international event has been hosted every five years since 2000 by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an international organization of national parliaments, with North Korea consistently dispatching a representative.

South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik also attended this year's event, but no meeting took place between him and Pak either.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya N
Why is Russia cozying up to North Korea when they're already struggling with sanctions? This looks like desperation to me. India should maintain its balanced approach - we have good relations with both Russia and the West, no need to take sides in these alliances.
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Amit K
The absence of China-North Korea talks is telling! Shows how complex geopolitics is becoming. As India grows stronger, we must play our cards wisely. Non-alignment served us well in the past, but maybe we need a more proactive foreign policy now.
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Shweta M
All these alliances make me worried about another Cold War situation. India should focus on strengthening QUAD and building our own economic power rather than getting involved in these complicated relationships. Jai Hind! 🙏
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Vikram J
While the article is informative, it lacks analysis of how these developments might impact Asian geopolitics beyond the Korean peninsula. As an Indian observer, I'd like to understand potential ripple effects on our region, especially regarding China's positioning.
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Neha R
The Russia-North Korea friendship is nothing new, but the timing is interesting with the Ukraine war ongoing. Makes you wonder about arms deals happening behind closed doors. India should be careful about any defense partnerships in this volatile situation.

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