N. Korea, Belarus near visa-waiver agreement for ordinary citizens: report

Belarus and North Korea are reportedly nearing an agreement allowing ordinary citizens from both countries to travel without visas, according to Belarusian state media. Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov confirmed to his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son-hui, that they will finalize the deal "in the very near future." While some technical details remain to be worked out, the agreement follows a March summit in Pyongyang where Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a friendship and cooperation pact.

In April, Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin signed a cabinet resolution to establish a Belarusian Embassy in Pyongyang. This potential visa-waiver agreement is seen as a sign of strengthening ties between the two nations, which are both close allies of Russia. North Korea is believed to have similar visa-waiver programs with other traditional allies, including China, Indonesia, and Vietnam, although details of those agreements are not publicly known.