Official Visit of Belarus' President to DPRK Begins

Alexander Lukashenko's official visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has started, BelTA reports.

The visit is taking place on March 25 and 26 at the invitation of North Korean president of State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un. The central event of the visit will be talks between the two leaders. The plan is to discuss the full range of matters for developing relations between Belarus and the DPRK, identifying key areas of mutual interest and the most promising projects for implementation.

The visit is intended to strengthen the legal framework of relations and promote intensification of bilateral cooperation.

Alexander Lukashenko and Kim Jong-un previously met in September 2025 in Beijing, where they attended a parade among the invited foreign leaders. At that time, the North Korean leader invited the Belarusian President to visit his country at any convenient time.

Last December, in an interview with Newsmax TV, the Belarusian head of state shared his impressions of his personal meeting with the president of State Affairs of the DPRK: "He is a decent, calm, and honest person. It was a short meeting. But that's the impression I got. I'm sure my impression is accurate. It's possible to reach an understanding with him."

Alexander Lukashenko recently sent congratulations to Kim Jong-un: in February, on his reelection as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, and in March, on the eve of the visit, on his reelection as president of State Affairs Commission of the DPRK. The President confirmed Minsk's interest in actively expanding political and economic ties with Pyongyang at various levels.

Currently, the legal framework for bilateral relations is based on intergovernmental agreements on trade and economic cooperation, the establishment of a joint commission on trade and economic cooperation, and the promotion and mutual protection of investments. An agreement on the avoidance of double taxation on income and property taxes was also previously concluded.

The visit of Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov to the DPRK in summer 2024 became one of the notable events in recent years in the development of cooperation between Minsk and Pyongyang. At that time, mutual interest in developing trade was negotiated. Specifically, the possibilities of supplying Belarusian pharmaceuticals and food products, as well as importing high-quality traditional Korean cosmetics, were discussed.

Potential cooperation in agriculture, education, healthcare, culture, and sports was also announced.

At the same time, Belarus has expressed its readiness to consider participating in trilateral initiatives, implementing projects not only directly with the DPRK but also in cooperation with Russia or China, because these countries have accumulated decades of relations with the DPRK, which could be leveraged to their mutual benefit.

The countries have extensive experience cooperating on international issues. In October 2025, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui participated in the Third Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security and stated North Korea's readiness to contribute to the construction of a multipolar world.

Relations between Minsk and Pyongyang have a rich history. For example, in 1984, North Korean President Kim Il-sung visited Belarus. Members of the delegation laid a wreath at the obelisk in Victory Square in the capital and visited the tractor plant and the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy of the BSSR. The distinguished guest then visited the heroic Brest Fortress.

Photo: freepik.com