Belarus and North Korea Signal Imminent Visa-Free Travel Agreement

Belarus and North Korea Signal Imminent Visa-Free Travel Agreement

Belarus and North Korea are moving toward a visa-free travel agreement for ordinary citizens, according to statements by Belarus's top diplomat carried by the country's state media. Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov said the agreement is ready and will be signed in the near future, with only "some technical details" left to resolve.

Ryzhenkov made the remarks during an interview with the Belarus-1 television channel, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS. He said the agreement is prepared and that only several technical aspects remain before signing. In a separate report by Belarusian news agency BelTA, cited by The Korea Times and Yonhap News Agency, Ryzhenkov discussed the pending deal with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son-hui, and was quoted as saying: "We will sign it in the very near future. We discussed the entire range of bilateral relations, including the upcoming contacts through the foreign ministries and the signing of a number of agreements, including this important agreement on visa-free travel for citizens."

Ryzhenkov also disclosed that he spent his vacation in North Korea and met with Choe Son Hui during that time. "Even on vacation <…> I had a meeting with the North Korean foreign minister. We discussed with her the entire range of bilateral relations and agreed on further contacts between the foreign ministries and on the signing of a number of agreements, including this important agreement on visa-free travels," he explained, according to TASS.

The announcement follows a series of diplomatic steps between Minsk and Pyongyang. In late March, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visited North Korea and held a summit with leader Kim Jong-un, where the two signed an agreement on friendship and cooperation. During that visit, Lukashenko was seen receiving an assault rifle as a present from Kim, as reported by BelTA and carried by The Korea Times and Yonhap.

Belarus has also taken institutional steps to deepen ties. In April, Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin signed a cabinet resolution to open a Belarusian Embassy in Pyongyang. Ryzhenkov noted that Lukashenko had set the task of opening the embassy and expediting work on the visa-free travel agreement, according to TASS.

The move is seen as part of a broader alignment between North Korea and Belarus, which is a close ally of Russia. Pyongyang signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Russia in June 2024, which included a mutual defense clause pledging military assistance if either nation faces armed aggression, as detailed in the BelTA report cited by The Korea Times and Yonhap.

South Korea's unification ministry said it is difficult to confirm which countries have visa-waiver agreements for ordinary North Korean citizens, though Pyongyang is known to have such agreements for diplomats and civil servants. North Korea is believed to have mutual visa-waiver programs with traditional allies, including China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. It has reportedly signed a similar agreement with Russia, though details remain unknown, according to the same reports.

As the details are finalized, the visa-free travel agreement would mark another step in the growing relationship between Belarus and North Korea, a relationship that has expanded through high-level visits and planned diplomatic representation.