N. Korean leader Kim Jong Un seeks closer ties with Russia

North Korea is courting to bolster its ties with Russia, as if targeting Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to South Korea.

Hwang Pyong So, director of General Political Department at North Korean People’s Army, met with the visiting Central Military Orchestra of Russian Ministry of Defense and courteously said “North Korea seeks closer ties with Russia,” reported by Korean Central News Agency on Thursday.

During the meeting, Director Hwang said “The Supreme Commander of the Korean Peoples` Army (Kim Jong Un) remarked he hoped that the traditional North Korea-Russia friendly relations would develop on a higher level,” and emphasized “the army and people of the North Korea would make positive efforts to boost the bilateral friendship as intended by the supreme commander.”

He added “(Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un) warmly welcomed the revisit of the Russian central military orchestra to the North, setting store by the ties it had with leader Kim Jong Il, and conveyed the congratulations to the orchestra on giving splendid performances, which encouraged the army and North Korean people and contributed to the development of the traditional relationship.”

North Korea’s message is interpreted as an expression of dissatisfaction over North Korea-China relations, which becomes increasingly chilly due to the execution of "pro-China" former Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission Jang Song Thaek and Chinese President Xi’s visit to South Korea ahead of North Korea. Bolstering relations with Russia seems as a move for diversification of international relations following the weakened relations with China.