MOSCOW, February 7. /TASS/. Russian Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Alexander Matsegora and DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il held a meeting to discuss the international agenda, the Russian embassy reported Monday on its Facebook page.

"On February 7, at the initiative of the Korean side, Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora held a conversation with DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il. The two sides shared views on the unfolding international situation in the context of events around Ukraine and on the Korean Peninsula," the Russian diplomatic mission said in a statement.

The meeting confirmed "a mutual interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation, including on international platforms." The parties noted "the desire to strengthen diplomatic bonds at the level of embassies and supervising departments of the two foreign ministries."

In late December 2021, Russian diplomats reported that bilateral relations between Moscow and Pyongyang had continued to develop even amid the coronavirus pandemic.