High-Level N. Korea Agriculture Delegation Departs for Trip to Russia

A North Korean delegation led by a high-ranking agricultural official has embarked on a trip to Russia amid growing ties between the two nations.

According to the North’s state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday, the state agriculture delegation led by vice premier of the cabinet Ri Chol-man, who doubles as the director of the Workers’ Party’s agriculture department, left Pyongyang on Saturday for Russia.

Russian Ambassador to Pyongyang Alexander Matsegora saw Ri off at Pyongyang International Airport.

In a Facebook post, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said Ri is scheduled to hold talks with Russia’s Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev and meet other Russian agriculture and fisheries officials during his trip.

The embassy said that Ri will also visit the Russian State Agrarian University and the Nemchinovka Federal Research Center, a grain research center near Moscow, adding that the delegation’s schedule is expected to be “very heavy.”

During the delegation’s trip, the two sides are expected to discuss Russia’s food assistance to North Korea, which is suffering chronic food shortages.