"Our common opponents should behave more cautiously"

Moscow and Pyongyang will exchange high-level delegations by the end of the year, Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Alexander Matsegora said in an interview with Izvestia. The dialogue also continues at the level of parliaments and foreign ministries. The countries are successfully deepening cooperation: by the end of 2024, the bilateral trade turnover has increased. The parties are working on launching direct flights and a ferry between Vladivostok and the North Korean resort of Wonsan Kalma. Humanitarian ties are also developing: this year, the national Russian language Olympiad will be held in the DPRK. About tourism in North Korea, energy projects with the DPRK and Pyongyang's relations with Seoul — in an exclusive interview with Alexander Matsegora "Izvestia".

"It's easier to find a topic on which we don't have any joint work right now"

— On June 19, 2024, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed at the summit of the heads of the Russian Federation and the DPRK. In which areas is it developing most effectively? What promising bilateral projects should we expect in the near future, besides the construction of a road bridge over the Tumannaya River?

— The agreement has opened up the broadest prospects for cooperation in all areas. It's easier to find a topic that we don't have any collaboration on right now. The most significant outcome of the signing of the treaty was that, in full accordance with its 4th article, the DPRK came to the aid of Russia when its territory, the Kursk region, was subjected to aggression from a third state — Ukraine. The soldiers of the special forces units of the Korean People's Army, in close cooperation with their Russian brothers in arms, kicked the invaders out of our land, showing massive courage and heroism.

As for the automobile bridge, its construction began on April 30. I had the opportunity to visit the construction site and talk with officials who are responsible for this important infrastructure facility from both our and Korean sides. Everyone is eager to complete the construction of the bridge as soon as possible, so that in 2026 the first cars with foreign trade goods and buses with tourists will pass through it.

Among other bilateral projects, I would mention the creation of joint healthcare institutions, scientific research in the field of agrobiology, archaeological research, vocational training programs, the development of textbooks in Russian and Korean languages, and the establishment of tourist routes.

— The countries are expanding bilateral trade — many Russian products have appeared on the consumer market of the DPRK. What is the volume of trade turnover by the end of 2024?

— Trade between our countries has shown a significant increase by the end of 2024. I have no doubt that the positive dynamics will continue in 2025. Export and import positions are constantly expanding. We have a lot to offer Korean customers. The geographical proximity of the DPRK to the Primorsky Territory and other regions of the Asian part of Russia, as well as a favorable climate that allows for abundant harvests of vegetables and fruits, creates good opportunities for saturation of the consumer market of the Far East and Siberians. And the construction of a road bridge will create a very convenient transport infrastructure for such supplies.

"Russians are actively interested in trips to the DPRK"

— How is humanitarian cooperation between our countries developing? Russian Russian Language Open Education Center at Kim Chol-joo Pedagogical University in the capital will be launched, and have classes opened in Pyongyang schools with all subjects taught in Russian?

— Starting this academic year, which begins on April 1 in the DPRK, Russian has once again become the main foreign language in all schools and universities. This decision by the country's leadership sets us very difficult and ambitious tasks — to help our Korean friends in the shortest possible time, first of all, in training Russian teachers, who are still in short supply. The mentioned projects are under implementation. The Embassy is also actively involved in this work. Russian Russian Language Olympiad among students of linguistic educational institutions is planned to be held at the end of the year on the basis of the "Russian Language Center" at the Pyongyang Institute of Foreign Languages.

— The Wonsan Kalma resort is due to open by the summer tourist season. Are there exact dates and has it been possible to agree on the launch of direct flights between Vladivostok and Wonsan?

— The resort will be open in June. The embassy staff is looking forward to this event: we will definitely visit there, perhaps the very first, and we will definitely share our impressions. The Korean organizers are making every effort to make Russian tourists feel cozy and comfortable on the pristine white sand beaches of the Kalma Peninsula. The tourist delivery scheme is currently being worked out. In addition to direct flights between Vladivostok and Wonsan, it can also be a comfortable sea ferry that will take tourists from the capital of Primorye to the Korean beach holiday center in 10-15 hours. Russians are actively interested in traveling to the DPRK, especially since such routes and programs are being developed here that will allow them to visit this country and enjoy it at any time of the year.

— Official bilateral contacts between the two countries have intensified recently. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko spoke about the preparations for Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia. Are other visits being considered, for example, by government—level delegations?

— This year our countries celebrate several important events in their history. For us, the main holiday was, of course, Victory Day, the 80th anniversary of which we recently celebrated. There was no official DPRK delegation in Moscow these days, but it was more than blocked by a visit to our embassy by the Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK, Comrade Kim Jong-un. Since the territory of the diplomatic mission belongs to the state it represents, it can be said that the DPRK was represented at the highest level in Russia on this holiday. Moreover, the North Korean delegation was the most representative of those who came to our country to celebrate Victory Day. Kim Jong-un was accompanied at our embassy by three key secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK (Workers' Party of Korea. — Ed.), two ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs, as well as other officials. And if you read the content of the speech with which Kim Jong-un addressed the embassy staff, there will be no doubt: for him, the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War is not only an event of great historical significance, but also a personal holiday. I highly recommend reading this emotional but very important document. It will allow us to better understand how the Korean people and their leader feel about the Russians.

I think we will exchange several more high-level delegations before the end of the year, including on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Korea (August 15) and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea (October 10). The lively delegation exchange will continue along the parliamentary and Foreign Ministry lines.

"It is difficult to imagine the implementation of any inter-Korean economic project"

— Earlier, Gazprom was working on the possibility of building a gas pipeline to South Korea through North Korea. At the same time, you noted that any cooperation with the DPRK is limited by the sanctions framework. Is it possible now to resume discussion of this project against the background of the dialogue between Russia and the United States?

— Objectively, such a project would be extremely beneficial to all three countries, both to us and to the states of the Korean Peninsula. Infrastructure energy projects themselves are not subject to UN sanctions. For example, North Korea supplies China with electricity produced at its hydroelectric power plants, which does not cause any problems for anyone. Similarly, the construction of a gas pipeline with the subsequent supply of natural gas from Russia to the Republic of Korea through the territory of the DPRK would not contradict the sanctions bans and restrictions.

However, even in the long term, the trans-Korean transfer of Russian gas, as well as oil and electricity (these projects were also worked out at one time), seems unrealistic. And the dialogue between the Russian Federation and the United States has nothing to do with it, it would have a very distant, and indirect, relationship to this topic.

The main problem is that it is now difficult to imagine the implementation of any, especially such a large inter-Korean economic project against the background of the collapse of relations between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea, whose authorities have declared the official goal of eliminating the political system, and, therefore, the statehood of their northern neighbor. Moreover, they have not only announced, but are also taking all sorts of provocative actions in this direction, such as sending drones and balloons with anti-government propaganda materials here.

In addition, Washington will never allow Seoul to participate in a program that would bring financial benefits to Pyongyang. And American "recommendations" of this kind, no matter which party is in power in the Republic of Kazakhstan, are considered an imperative for Southerners.

— Russia and the DPRK actively encourage joint research in the field of science and technology, including space and peaceful atom. What kind of joint research is planned in these areas?

— Using both existing and promising scientific and technical developments, my Korean colleagues and I are actively cooperating in protecting the environment, preventing natural disasters and eliminating their consequences, improving the quality of life of the population of the two countries, solving food and housing problems, providing people with high-quality medicine and education. It will continue to be so.

"The situation on the Korean peninsula raises serious concerns"

— Tension remains on the Korean peninsula. Is there a risk of destabilization? Is Russia ready to play a constructive role in reducing tensions?

— The situation on the Korean peninsula really raises serious concerns. The Americans and their allies seem to be testing the patience of the DPRK leadership — in terms of the number of provocative military maneuvers and all kinds of violent demonstrations, including with a nuclear component, Washington and Seoul are setting record after record this year. And they admit it themselves. In response, Pyongyang has shown, in my opinion, amazing restraint. Although the other day, the leader of the DPRK warned that if the opponents did not calm down, then he could "set a record" for the response. I think this warning should be heeded.

As for Russia's constructive role, it is already playing it, and in the most active way — article 4 of our interstate treaty with the DPRK serves as a very effective warning to anyone who, by raising the degree of tension, brings the situation closer and closer to a real armed conflict. By coming to our aid in repelling Ukrainian aggression in the Kursk region, Pyongyang has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Russian-Korean treaty. Our common opponents should keep this in mind and behave more cautiously.