On March 25-26, 2026, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko paid an official visit to the DPRK at the invitation of Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Chronicle of the visit

The visit marked the Belarusian leader’s first official visit to North Korea.

Media outlets in the DPRK, Russia, and Belarus reported on the upcoming visit the day before, on March 24. This signifies not so much a sudden agreement on the visit as a customary practice for Pyongyang, based on security requirements. The concept of the visit was discussed back in 2024-2025, when North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui visited Belarus. The direct invitation followed a personal meeting between the two leaders in September 2025 in Beijing, where they attended a military parade. North Korea and Belarus officially established diplomatic relations in 1992, and a joint committee on trade and economic cooperation has been in place since 1995.

From a protocol standpoint, the visit was extremely formal: a bouquet of flowers, a red carpet, an honour guard, a military band, and children holding flags. Lukashenko was met at the airport by First Deputy Prime Minister Kim Duk-hun and Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu. The head of Belarus was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, Health Minister Alexander Khodzhayev, Education Minister Andrei Ivanets, and Industry Minister Andrei Kuznetsov.

During the ceremonial portion of his visit, Alexander Lukashenko visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, paid his respects to Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, and laid a wreath at the Liberation Monument, erected in 1946 as a token of gratitude to the Soviet troops who participated in the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule in August 1945.

Furthermore, at the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko laid flowers in gratitude for their assistance in the Soviet Military District. During his visit to the memorial complex, Lukashenko placed a bouquet of flowers from the Russian President next to a basket of flowers from the Belarusian President.

The practical portion of the visit began at Kim Il-sung Square, where a welcoming ceremony was held for the Belarusian President by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The two leaders took the podium, followed by a 21-gun salute, the performance of the national anthems of both countries, and a review of the honour guard.

The summit itself took place on March 26. In the lead-up to the summit, the Belarusian President drew attention to certain historical similarities between Minsk and Pyongyang, which were severely damaged, practically wiped off the face of the earth, as a result of military action, and subsequently underwent extensive restoration work. The Belarusian leader noted that, despite their geographical distance, the Belarusian and Korean peoples are united by common interests – patriotism, the preservation of historical memory, and a deep respect for the older generation.

Following the talks, Alexander Lukashenko and Kim Jong-un signed a treaty on friendship and cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. According to Kim Jong-un, “The new interstate treaty will serve as a legal basis that will further guarantee the stable development of bilateral relations.” Alexander Lukashenko also called this document fundamental, stating that it clearly and openly sets out the goals and principles of interaction between the two countries and defines the institutional framework for future mutually beneficial processes.

In addition to the treaty, approximately 10 bilateral documents were signed, including agreements on cooperation in education, culture, physical education, and sports.

The parties exchanged views on international issues, including the situation in the Middle East, and discussed prospects for economic cooperation. “In today’s global transformation, when the powers that be openly ignore and violate international law, independent countries need to cooperate more closely and consolidate efforts to protect their sovereignty and improve the well-being of our citizens,” Alexander Lukashenko stated.

During the gift exchange, Kim Jong-un was presented with a VSK-100B assault rifle – the first fully domestically produced small arms model. The DPRK leader showed genuine interest in it, taking aim, pulling back the bolt, inspecting the chamber, and pulling the trigger. The leader of the DPRK presented the head of the Belarusian state with a sabre and a large vase decorated in the traditional style of that country using many types of shells, as well as a souvenir gold coin minted on the occasion of the President of Belarus’s visit to the DPRK.

As part of the cultural program, Alexander Lukashenko and Kim Jong-un attended a gala concert at the ice rink, where Korean artists performed both national compositions and well-known Belarusian songs. At the conclusion of the visit, the Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK personally escorted the Head of State of Belarus to the airport.

Outcomes of the Visit

What specific areas will be developed after the summit? Alexander Lukashenko described the visit as follows: “The friendly relations between our countries, which began during the Soviet Union, have never been interrupted. Today, as a result of comprehensive, progressive development, we are entering a fundamentally new stage. It’s a long time coming, but we are entering a new stage nonetheless. Yes, we did not have close cooperation, largely due to our own fault. But I am sincerely pleased to note that interaction between us has significantly intensified.”

The first area is mutual political and diplomatic support. According to Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, “The President set very specific objectives: opening a Belarusian embassy in Pyongyang (the DPRK already has an embassy in Minsk) and accelerating work on an agreement on visa abolition.” Alexander Lukashenko invited the North Korean leader to visit Minsk.

The collective West is trying to portray North Korea as a pariah state, with which only other autocracies can interact, and has even tried to coin the acronym CRINK (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea). However, the visit by the head of a European country indicates that the DPRK is becoming less isolated.

The second area concerns the Special Military Operation. It is believed that North Korea and Belarus are strengthening their relations and cooperation, based on Russia’s shared support. Pyongyang supplied weapons and, in accordance with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, sent a military contingent to assist in the liberation of the Kursk region, while Minsk made its territory available for Moscow’s actions. Against this backdrop, military-political cooperation could develop through the exchange of military experience or even some military technologies.

The third area is cooperation in areas such as healthcare, education, and agriculture. These are areas in which cooperation is minimally hampered by the UN Security Council sanctions regime. As head Maxim Ryzhenkov noted, “There are a number of areas of interest to both the Belarusian and Korean sides… Based on this agreement, we will develop cooperation between ministries and agencies.”

The author would particularly note the agricultural sector, as this is clearly not only and not primarily about humanitarian food aid. The experience of Belarusian agro-towns could prove useful for the large-scale agricultural complexes that began to be built across the country in the final years of Kim Jong-un’s rule. Furthermore, Belarusian regulations for issuing food GOSTs, which are considered close to Soviet standards in terms of product purity, may also be of interest.

I would also like to specifically note the need for long-term projects to be supported by Belarusian citizens who speak Korean. Therefore, we hope that students from Minsk will be invited to Kim Il Sung University. Thus, the visit was an important step in strengthening ties with the DPRK not only between Belarus itself but also between the Union State of Belarus and Russia.

Konstantin Asmolov, PhD in History, Leading Researcher at the Center for Korean Studies at the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Courtesy

https://journal-neo.su/2026/03/31/on-the-visit-of-belarusian-president-alexander-lukashenko-to-the-dprk/