Russia's Oryol Oblast and North Korea's Hwanghae Province Sign First Interregional Cooperation Agreement

North Korea's Hwanghae Province and Russia's Oryol Oblast have signed their first-ever interregional cooperation agreement, marking a new level of bilateral exchange. The pact, signed during a visit by a Hwanghae Province delegation to Oryol Oblast, aims to foster collaboration across various sectors, including industry, tourism, and culture. Oryol Oblast officials expressed readiness to provide multifaceted support to their North Korean counterparts, highlighting a strong interest in regional cooperation.

The agreement includes provisions for supplying products manufactured by Oryol Oblast enterprises to North Korea and developing joint programs for personnel training, tourism, and cultural exchanges. This initiative is seen as a significant step in strengthening economic ties between the two regions. The North Korean delegation emphasized that the agreement aligns with the developing comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance between their countries, predicting enhanced economic cooperation.

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We are ready to provide multifaceted support to our North Korean colleagues and are very interested in interregional cooperation.

During their two-day visit, the Hwanghae Province delegation toured local agricultural centers, requesting supplies of wheat and soybeans, and attended presentations on the livestock industry. They also visited cheese production companies and cultural and educational institutions. This regional cooperation expands upon the broader diplomatic and military ties strengthened between Russia and North Korea since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia in September 2023 and Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang in October 2023. The two nations signed a treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership in June 2024, leading to a wide-ranging expansion of cooperation.

Further expanding their relationship, Russian officials are considering increasing air routes between the countries, including existing flights from Vladivostok and Moscow to Pyongyang. Additionally, a charter tourist train connecting Vladivostok, Tumangang, and Rajin began operating last year, with plans for a passenger ferry service between Russia's Primorye region and North Korea's Wonsan under review. These developments signal a deepening and broadening of the relationship between Russia and North Korea.

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This agreement was signed at a time when the comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance between the two countries are developing, and through this, economic cooperation between the two countries will be strengthened.