Seoul: North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has returned home from her visit to Russia, the North's state media reported Wednesday. Choe and her delegation arrived at Pyongyang International Airport on her personal official plane the previous day, where they were greeted by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu and Vladimir Topekha, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

According to Yonhap News Agency, Choe embarked on a four-day trip to Moscow starting Saturday at the invitation of her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. This visit comes as both nations continue to expand ties following the signing of a mutual defense pact in 2024. The absence of major diplomatic events or anniversaries on the schedule fueled speculation that her trip might have been aimed at coordinating a potential visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to Kim Jong-un for summit talks during their meeting in Pyongyang in June 2024. During her stay, Choe met with Putin in the Kremlin on Sunday, as per an earlier report from KCNA.

Choe also held discussions with Lavrov on Monday, where both officials agreed to accelerate cooperation focused on the implementation of the countries' treaty. They reaffirmed their commitment to developing bilateral relations "under the strategic guidance at the highest level," according to the earlier KCNA report.