N. Korea's vice defense minister departs for Vietnam amid deepening ties

North Korean Vice Defense Minister Ryo Chol-ung has traveled to Vietnam, according to state media, as the two nations deepen their cooperation. The delegation, headed by Ryo, departed Pyongyang the day before, accompanied by defense ministry officials, Vietnam's ambassador to North Korea, and the embassy's defense attache. The purpose and itinerary of the visit remain undisclosed.

This move comes as Pyongyang and Hanoi have been working to strengthen bilateral relations. Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed his dedication to enhancing mutual ties in a letter to President To Lam, marking Vietnam's 81st founding anniversary. The two countries have been steadily closer since their October summit, with Vietnamese President To Lam's visit to North Korea marking the first by a top Vietnamese leader in 18 years.

In May, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung visited North Korea for talks with his counterpart, Choe Son-hui, followed by security ministers' discussions in Pyongyang.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.