South Korea pushes NATO ties as North Korea's foreign minister visits Russia

President Lee Jae‑myung met NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte in Ankara ahead of the NATO summit, proposing a “Han‑NATO defence industry partnership 2.0” that would focus on joint operation of weapon systems rather than sales. NATO leadership emphasized that European and Indo‑Pacific security are interconnected, signalling an operational push of NATO into the Indo‑Pacific region.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son‑hui travelled to Moscow at the invitation of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, his first visit in nine months. The trip is viewed as preparation for a possible Kim Jong‑un visit to Russia and to discuss deeper military cooperation. Russian officials confirmed the visit but gave no details, while South Korean authorities expressed concern over expanding North‑Russia ties amid ongoing regional tensions.