Мядельский районный исполнительный комитет

26 March 2026

Lukashenko announced that relations between Belarus and the DPRK have entered a fundamentally new stag

As a result of comprehensive and progressive development, relations between Belarus and the DPRK are entering a fundamentally new stage. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated this on March 26 during talks with Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, BELTA’s correspondent reports.

First of all, the Belarusian head of state thanked the DPRK leader for the invitation to visit the country and for the warm welcome, noting in particular that this was his first visit to the DPRK. The President also drew attention to a certain historical similarity between Minsk and Pyongyang, which were heavily destroyed, practically wiped off the face of the earth as a result of military actions, followed by large-scale efforts to restore these cities.

“I can tell you as a friend, as someone who has seen everything in this world: your country has a great future with this hardworking, disciplined people. And the second thing I saw is that you know how to do everything, and you do it better than anyone else,” Alexander Lukashenko said. The President stressed that he said these words not merely out of respect, but because they reflect reality.

The head of state noted that, despite the geographical distance, the Belarusian and Korean peoples are united by common interests — patriotism, the preservation of historical memory, and deep respect for the older generation.

“Friendly relations between our states, which originated back in the Soviet era, have never been interrupted. Today, as a result of comprehensive progressive development, we are moving to a fundamentally new stage. With a considerable delay, nevertheless, we are moving to a new stage,” the President stressed. “Yes, we indeed did not have close cooperation, mainly through our own fault. But I am sincerely pleased to note that interaction between us has now intensified significantly.” In particular, the intergovernmental commission headed by the deputy prime ministers of the two countries has resumed its work, and the foreign ministries are cooperating productively.

During the current talks, another important step was taken in building the bilateral legal framework: a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation was signed. Speaking about the importance of this document, the President of Belarus drew attention to its fundamental nature. It clearly and openly sets out the goals and principles of bilateral interaction, and also defines the institutional framework for future mutually beneficial processes.

“In today’s reality of global transformations, when the world’s powerful states openly ignore and violate the norms of international law, independent countries need to cooperate more closely and consolidate their efforts to protect their sovereignty and improve the well-being of our citizens,” Alexander Lukashenko stated.

According to him, Belarus, like the DPRK, supports a multipolar world based on mutual respect for the principles of equality among states, non-interference in internal affairs, and consideration of one another’s interests.

“Like you, I support developing our relations without looking back at other countries, which, of course, will not be pleased with our relations. Because they are competitors,” the Belarusian head of state said, addressing Kim Jong Un.

“Our economies complement one another, we need each other, and let us move in this direction. We will learn lessons from the past, from our mistakes. And we will do everything to ensure that relations between the DPRK and Belarus are exemplary,” the Belarusian leader stressed.