Zhi News: Mr. Wu, after a year, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov has once again visited North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un chose to receive Lavrov at the Goma Coast tourist area in the port city of Wonsan. Looking back at the high-level interactions between Russia and North Korea over the past year, what new trends are emerging? What signals are they sending to the outside world?

Guest Commentator Wu Wei: In foreign affairs, the level and etiquette of reception matter. The setting of the reception is a specific carrier, from which we can see the efforts of the host country. This year, the high-level interactions between Russia and North Korea have been a good sample for observation. From the large office in the Central Committee Building of the Workers' Party of Korea, to the four-story library, and then to the Marshal's yacht by the Goma Bay in Wonsan, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has treated the Russian guests with great care and hospitality. By looking beyond the surface, this reflects the close relationship between the leaders of North Korea and Russia, indicating a new trend of close interaction and deepening mutual trust between the two countries.

Taking the current visit of Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov as an example, his plane flew directly to Wonsan, not Pyongyang, which is very subtle. As Kim Jong-un himself said, "The foreign minister has been very busy recently, and coming to Wonsan is a good opportunity to rest a bit." Wonsan is a seaport city located in the northeast of North Korea, and it is also the birthplace of Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-un places great importance on his hometown. Since 2014, Wonsan has undergone multiple rounds of construction, first expanding the Wonsan military airport into a civil-military dual-use airport, and then developing a series of tourism facilities along the Goma Coast.

Last month, Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter Kim Ju-ae, attended the completion ceremony of the Goma Coast tourist area in Wonsan. This picturesque tourist area welcomed its first visitors, one group being labor people's representatives from all over North Korea, and another group being diplomatic staff and family members of the Russian embassy and consulates in North Korea. The only diplomat present at the completion ceremony who had a one-on-one conversation with Kim Jong-un was Russian Ambassador Alexander Maltsev. Just from this arrangement, it is clear that the diplomatic relations between North Korea and Russia carry a sense of "unusual significance."

This "unusual" nature of the bilateral relationship, in my view, is that the comprehensive strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia has withstood the "test of blood and fire." Whether in terms of diplomatic practice or treaty implementation, Russia and North Korea have already become a "de facto alliance." Lavrov said on the yacht, "The North Korean People's Army and Russian soldiers fought side by side and liberated the Kursk region of Russia." Kim Jong-un said, "The two countries share the same views on all strategic issues, which aligns with their alliance relationship."

Zhi News: Then, how do you view this "unusual" relationship between North Korea and Russia? How does it reflect the strategic thinking of both countries? How will the close ties between North Korea and Russia affect the international situation?

Guest Commentator Wu Wei: As I mentioned in my commentary last year, a North Korea-Russia alliance block spanning Eurasia is forming. Its direct cause is the "two-pronged squeeze" by Western powers in Europe and the Asia-Pacific. As long as these external strategic forces continue to exert pressure, the "new normal" in diplomatic relations between Russia and North Korea will continue to develop. In a way, this is "embrace because of common interests," both pragmatic and "sharing interests and risks."

Historically, the relationship between North Korea and Russia has experienced a series of ups and downs. After the end of the Cold War, the relationship between North Korea and Russia entered a period of adjustment and restoration.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia initially showed a tendency to fully align with the West. The most direct historical event was Russia unilaterally abolishing the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance between the USSR and North Korea in 1992, stopping aid to North Korea and demanding that Pyongyang repay its debts. North Korea thus began a difficult period known as the "Arduous March."

The period of restoration of relations between Russia and North Korea coincided with Putin's rise to power. In 2000, the two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborliness, and Cooperation, and Russia exempted North Korea from $3.5 billion in debt. However, the real turning point was the outbreak of the Crimean crisis, which led to Russia being largely isolated and sanctioned by the Western world, and marked the beginning of a new era of closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. The rapid escalation of the Ukraine conflict further accelerated the strategic cooperation between the two countries, with "energy for weapons" and "technology for manpower" becoming key links in their cooperation.

I have always reminded people that when observing today's North Korea, we should try to discard the "great power chauvinism" of the Cold War era and avoid seeing Pyongyang as "someone's little brother." Analyzing today's North Korea from this perspective is a big mistake, and naturally, it would be impossible to understand Pyongyang's actions. Objectively speaking, North Korea is increasingly highlighting its independent and self-reliant stance. Kim Jong-un's overseas background and his close observation of the Western world have given him a different strategic perspective from his predecessors. He is a leader of the 1980s generation who maintains close contact with Beijing and Moscow, shakes hands with the U.S. president multiple times, and calls the South Korean president "brother." Therefore, the historic breakthrough in the North Korea-Russia relationship is likely due to very realistic considerations and is not a spontaneous decision made in a moment of excitement.

Currently, a new "East-West bloc" is forming in the world, and the characteristics of the "new Cold War" are becoming more pronounced. On the other hand, a powerful force is also countering the international situation, preventing humanity from repeating the mistakes of the Cold War. This force is China, which upholds fairness and justice, and it is also the next destination of Foreign Minister Lavrov after completing his trip to North Korea. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers' Council is about to open in Tianjin, China. In response to the accelerating changes of the century, the Chinese solution deserves the world's attention.

Author: Wu Wei

Layout: Li Shuo

Editor: Liu Ying

Proofreader: Zeng Zi Jin

Supervisor: Wang Yunxia

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7526550289370874395/

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