North Korean foreign minister Choe Son-hui has reportedly departed Pyongyang on a three-day trip to Russia.

According to the North’s state Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on Monday, Choe left for Russia on Sunday from Pyongyang International Airport, seen off by vice foreign minister Pak Chol-jun, Vladimir Topeha, Russia’s charge d'affaires ad interim in the North, and military attache of the Russian Embassy Valery Isayenko.

The KCNA said on Sunday that Choe will pay an official visit to Russia from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

During the visit, Choe and Lavrov are expected to hold talks to discuss cooperation between the two nations. 

Amid accusations that North Korea and Russia are trading weapons in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, attention is on whether the issue will be discussed in these talks between the foreign ministers. 

Also drawing attention is whether a visit from Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea will be discussed as Putin accepted an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their summit in Russia in September last year.

[Photo : YONHAP News]