Belarusian president begins official visit to DPRK
25.03.2026
PYONGYANG (
BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has begun the official visit of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, BelTA has learned.
The head of the Belarusian state was met at the airport by First Vice Premier Kim Tok-hun of the DPRK and Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov.
The president's motorcade was accompanied by a motorcycle escort.
Scheduled for 25–26 March, the visit has been organized upon the invitation of President of State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un. Negotiations between the leaders of the two countries will be the key event of the visit. Plans have been made to discuss the entire spectrum of avenues for advancing cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to determine the main spheres of mutual interest and the most promising projects for implementation.
The visit is expected to reinforce the legal framework of the relations and contribute to the invigoration of bilateral interaction.
Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un previously met in September 2025 in Beijing where they attended a parade among invited foreign leaders. At that time, the DPRK leader invited the Belarusian president to visit his country at any convenient time.
In December of last year, in an interview with Newsmax, the Belarusian head of state shared his impressions of his personal interaction with the Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK: “He is a decent, calm, and honest man. Although our meeting was brief, I had this impression of him, and I am confident that it is not misguided. He is someone you can deal with.”
Recently, Aleksandr Lukashenko sent congratulations to Kim Jong Un: in February, on his reelection as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, and in March, in the run-up to the visit, on his reelection as Chairman of State Affairs 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 of bilateral relations consists of intergovernmental agreements on trade and economic cooperation, on the establishment of a joint commission for trade and economic cooperation, and on the promotion and mutual protection of investments. An agreement on the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and property was also concluded earlier.
One of the notable events in recent years in the development of cooperation between Minsk and Pyongyang was the visit to the DPRK by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov in the summer of 2024. At that time, discussions centered on the mutual interest in developing trade. In particular, the possibilities of supplying Belarusian pharmaceutical products and food and importing traditional high-quality Korean cosmetics were discussed.
The prospects for cooperation in agriculture, education, healthcare, culture, and sports were also highlighted.
Belarus expressed its readiness to consider options for participation in trilateral initiatives, implementing various projects not only directly with the DPRK, but also in cooperation with Russia or China. After all, these countries have accumulated decades of experience in relations with the DPRK, which could be leveraged for common interests.
The countries also have a good track record of cooperation on international issues. In October 2025, DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui participated in the 3rd Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security and stated the DPRK's readiness to contribute to the construction of a multipolar world.
The relationship between Minsk and Pyongyang as a whole has a rich history. For example, DPRK President Kim Il Sung visited Belarus in 1984. Members of the delegation laid a wreath at the monument-obelisk on Victory Square in Minsk, toured the tractor plant and the Byelorussian SSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements. The distinguished guest then also visited the heroic Brest Fortress.
The head of the Belarusian state was met at the airport by First Vice Premier Kim Tok-hun of the DPRK and Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov.
The president's motorcade was accompanied by a motorcycle escort.
Scheduled for 25–26 March, the visit has been organized upon the invitation of President of State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un. Negotiations between the leaders of the two countries will be the key event of the visit. Plans have been made to discuss the entire spectrum of avenues for advancing cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to determine the main spheres of mutual interest and the most promising projects for implementation.
The visit is expected to reinforce the legal framework of the relations and contribute to the invigoration of bilateral interaction.
Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un previously met in September 2025 in Beijing where they attended a parade among invited foreign leaders. At that time, the DPRK leader invited the Belarusian president to visit his country at any convenient time.
In December of last year, in an interview with Newsmax, the Belarusian head of state shared his impressions of his personal interaction with the Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK: “He is a decent, calm, and honest man. Although our meeting was brief, I had this impression of him, and I am confident that it is not misguided. He is someone you can deal with.”
Recently, Aleksandr Lukashenko sent congratulations to Kim Jong Un: in February, on his reelection as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, and in March, in the run-up to the visit, on his reelection as Chairman of State Affairs 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 of bilateral relations consists of intergovernmental agreements on trade and economic cooperation, on the establishment of a joint commission for trade and economic cooperation, and on the promotion and mutual protection of investments. An agreement on the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and property was also concluded earlier.
One of the notable events in recent years in the development of cooperation between Minsk and Pyongyang was the visit to the DPRK by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov in the summer of 2024. At that time, discussions centered on the mutual interest in developing trade. In particular, the possibilities of supplying Belarusian pharmaceutical products and food and importing traditional high-quality Korean cosmetics were discussed.
The prospects for cooperation in agriculture, education, healthcare, culture, and sports were also highlighted.
Belarus expressed its readiness to consider options for participation in trilateral initiatives, implementing various projects not only directly with the DPRK, but also in cooperation with Russia or China. After all, these countries have accumulated decades of experience in relations with the DPRK, which could be leveraged for common interests.
The countries also have a good track record of cooperation on international issues. In October 2025, DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui participated in the 3rd Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security and stated the DPRK's readiness to contribute to the construction of a multipolar world.
The relationship between Minsk and Pyongyang as a whole has a rich history. For example, DPRK President Kim Il Sung visited Belarus in 1984. Members of the delegation laid a wreath at the monument-obelisk on Victory Square in Minsk, toured the tractor plant and the Byelorussian SSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements. The distinguished guest then also visited the heroic Brest Fortress.