New Russian Ambassador to North Korea Arrives in Pyongyang, Ending 10-Month Vacancy; First Move Is to Honor North Korean Troops Sent to Russia

[Financial News] Andrei Podyolyshev, Russia’s newly appointed ambassador to North Korea, arrived in Pyongyang on the 26th. His arrival ended a 10-month vacancy following the death of former ambassador Alexander Matsegora while serving in December last year. He is now beginning full-fledged diplomatic activities, and closer North Korea-Russia ties are expected to gain further momentum.
The Embassy of Russia, Pyongyang, said through its official Telegram channel that Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Podyolyshev arrived in Pyongyang with his wife on a direct flight from Moscow. North Korean Foreign Ministry officials and embassy staff welcomed the new ambassador at the airport.
Shortly after arriving in Pyongyang, Ambassador Podyolyshev visited Liberation Tower, a memorial to former Soviet troops, and laid flowers. He also toured the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats in Overseas Military Operations, which honors North Korean soldiers killed after being deployed to the Ukrainian front, including Kursk Oblast in western Russia. The visit underscored the two countries’ close alliance. He then laid flowers at the reliefs of former ambassadors installed inside the embassy, officially beginning his duties.
In an interview with a TASS Russian News Agency correspondent on his first day in office, Podyolyshev expressed his determination to further strengthen ties between the two countries. He emphasized, "It is my mission to promote practical cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including the economy, culture, education and sports, and to make the fullest use of their enormous potential."
He added that the current relationship between North Korea and Russia has reached a very high level thanks to Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "Moving forward, we must look to the future and set more serious and multifaceted goals, moving beyond the framework of the tasks we resolved yesterday," he said.
Born in 1962, Podyolyshev is a career diplomat and a Korea hand who speaks Korean and English fluently. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in 1984 and worked at the Soviet Embassy in North Korea from 1984 to 1988. From 1991 to 1996, shortly after diplomatic relations were established between South Korea and Russia, he served at the Russian Embassy in Seoul, gaining experience in both Koreas. He later worked at the Consulate General of Russia in San Francisco and served as Russia’s consul general in Istanbul before becoming ambassador to Nigeria. He was selected as ambassador to North Korea in July.
His appointment has drawn particular attention as North Korea-Russia ties approach a peak. The two countries are strengthening cooperation across the board based on the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed in June. North Korea also deployed a large number of troops to Russia’s Kursk Oblast in October.
The appointment also comes as Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said on the 24th that an invitation for Kim Jong Un to visit Russia remains valid and that the timing would be coordinated through diplomatic channels. Against this backdrop, the new ambassador is expected to oversee key working-level matters, including preparations for Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia. 

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