Belarusian PresidentAlexander Lukashenkowas greeted by North Korean leaderKim Jong Unas he arrived on his first visit to the reclusive nation, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday.
A ceremony welcoming Lukashenko took place on Kim Il Sung Square on 25 March, with Kim gladly meeting and warmly welcoming theBelarusianleader, the report said.
Lukashenko visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where the embalmed bodies of Kims father and grandfather lie in state to pay his respects, flanked by top North Korean officials, KCNA said. He laid a bouquet on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In another event, Lukashenko laid a wreath at the Liberation Tower and observed a moment of silence with Kim in memory of the fallen fighters of the Soviet Army who dedicated their precious lives to the sacred war for Koreas liberation, KCNA said, referring to the end of Japanese colonial rule in 1945 at the close of World War Two.
Photos released by KCNA showed the two leaders greeting each other, with Lukashenko placing a hand on Kims back as they smiled, while North Koreans in the background waved the two countries flags. Another image showed Kim introducing his officials to Lukashenko.
Read moreLukashenko 'not an independent actor: opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya on why Belarus needs Russia
Both nations have providedMoscowassistance in its war inUkraine, with Pyongyang dispatching ground troops and weapons, and Minsk serving as a launchpad for Russias invasion in 2022. South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have estimated that North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to Russia, primarily to the Kursk region, along with artillery shells, missiles and rocket systems.
Rights violations
North Korea has been under a barrage of Western sanctions, mostly due to its nuclear weapons programme and missile activity, but also because of its support for Russias war against Ukraine. Analysts sayNorth Koreahas received financial aid, military technology, food and energy fromRussiain return. PresidentVladimir Putinvisited in 2024.
The support has helpedPyongyangreduce its reliance on its long-time backer, China. International rights groups accuse the North of torture, public executions, forced labour and severe restrictions on freedom of expression and movement.
Lukashenko, for his part, has drawn Minsk deeper into Russias orbit and cracked down on dissent during his three decades in power. The West has imposed heavy sanctions on Belarus over its role in facilitating Russias invasion of Ukraine and its crackdown on protests in 2020.
Belarus has released scores of prisoners in recent months, largely under US pressure, including 250 earlier this month. But it still holds hundreds more, many detained after the 2020 election, widely dismissed by the opposition as rigged.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Originally published on France24
