Russian emergency delegation visits Pyongyang for disaster-response talks

A Russian emergency ministry delegation led by Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov arrived in Pyongyang on October 11 for discussions on disaster prevention and response.

Russia’s ministry said the two-day visit includes talks with North Korean disaster management minister Kim Chol-nam. The sides plan to consider areas of cooperation and agree a programme of joint activities through 2029.

North Korean state media said Kim and Russian diplomat Vladimir Topekha greeted the delegation. The Russian ministry also reported Topekha’s presence at Sunan airport.

The delegation previously visited Pyongyang in July last year, inspecting disaster prevention and response facilities and discussing scientific and technical cooperation. The ministries signed a subsequent agreement on specialist training and scientific and technical collaboration in December, according to Yonhap’s account.

The visit follows broader cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang after their leaders’ summits in September 2023 and June 2024.