Russian defence minister, Chinese top officials to visit North Korea

North Korea has invited delegations from China and Russia to participate in the 70th-anniversary celebrations of the Korean War armistice, Pyongyang State media has reported.

This is the first known case of North Korea inviting foreign guests to the country since it closed all borders to contain the pandemic, even though cargo transportation partially resumed between North Korea and China last year, according to a report in Yonhap, a major South Korean news agency.

North Korean state media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday reported that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has been invited by the Ministry of National Defence of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the 70th anniversary of the “victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War.”

"At the invitation of the Ministry of National Defence of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a military delegation of the Russian Federation led by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu will pay a congratulatory visit to the DPRK on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War," KCNA reported.

"The visit will mark an important occasion in further developing the traditional DPRK-Russia friendly relations in keeping with the demand of the times," the KCNA further said.

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that the Russian delegation led by Shoigu will visit North Korea on July 25-27 to take part in festive events marking the 70th anniversary of the DPRK’s Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War of 1950-1953, according to TASS.

The Russian news agency cited the country’s defence ministry to state that the visit would “contribute to strengthening bilateral military ties and mark an important stage in the development of cooperation between the two countries.”

North Korea has also invited a Chinese party and government delegation to the armistice celebrations.

Yonhap news agency cited KCNA to report that the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party and its government has invited a Chinese delegation led by Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party to the anniversary celebrations.

North Korea is set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, signed July 27, 1953, this week. The North refers to the conflict as the Great Fatherland Liberation War and the day of the armistice signing as Victory Day.