The ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs determined that Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov made a two-day trip to North Korea to follow up on agreements made during a summit of the two nation’s leaders last month.

Unification ministry deputy spokesperson Kim In-ae said on Friday that Lavrov and his North Korean counterpart Choe Son-hui likely discussed cooperation in politics, the economy, culture, science and technology, global security and bilateral exchanges.

The deputy spokesperson said Moscow is assumed to have thanked Pyongyang for support in the Ukraine war, while expressing a strong will for anti-U.S. solidarity, adding that the ministry must also keep tabs for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the North.

As for Lavrov's reference to a regular security negotiation process at a press conference following the ministerial meeting, the deputy spokesperson said Seoul remains open to resuming talks with Pyongyang without preconditions.

The ministry explained, however, that the position is irrelevant to Lavrov's proposal.

[Photo : YONHAP News]