Thongloun Phomvihane, Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos, which maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea, visited Pyongyang.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 12th that Laos Foreign Minister Phomvihane and his entourage arrived in Pyongyang the previous day at the invitation of the Foreign Ministry. It is the first time in about a month that a foreign minister has visited Pyongyang, following Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith's trip to North Korea on Oct. 7 to attend celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party.
Officials of North Korea's Foreign Ministry and Keo Makhaphone, Laos' ambassador to North Korea, greeted them at Pyongyang International Airport. Although the purpose and schedule of the visit have not yet been disclosed, some say the visit is to discuss follow-up measures to issues discussed at the North Korea–Laos summit.
North Korea and Laos, which established diplomatic relations in June 1974, have maintained ideological ties as socialist states. Kim Jong-un and Laos President Sisoulith held a summit in Pyongyang on Oct. 7. On the day of the summit, President Sisoulith sent a separate congratulatory message to Kim Jong-un, addressing him as "Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong-un, heir to the great Juche idea," and said, "Let us continue to expand and develop the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation."
Kim Jong-un replied on Oct. 19, saying he was "confident that the relations of friendship and cooperation will be further strengthened and developed in all fields." Kim Jong-un also sent a flower basket on Nov. 6 to congratulate President Sisoulith on his 80th birthday.