An esteemed North Korean military delegation head, Kim Geum Chol, has been tragically found dead in Moscow, as per local reports.
Kim, who led the Kim Il Sung Military University, is believed to have drowned while swimming in the Russian capital, according to the SHOT Telegram channel and the Astra Telegram channel, which are known for their updates on the Ukraine conflict.
The delegation, which departed from Pyongyang on July 8, was the first public visit by North Korean officials to Russia since the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement in June.
Details about the purpose of the delegation’s visit remain unclear.
During a heatwave in Russia, Kim, aged 64, went for a swim at the Bolshoy Gorodskoy Pond in Moscow to cool off but tragically went missing, as reported by SHOT.
His colleagues raised an alarm after finding his belongings on the shore, prompting a police search that unfortunately ended with Kim’s body being discovered in the pond the following day.
North Korea and Russia have strengthened their relations since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Putin visited Pyongyang in June, marking his first visit to North Korea in 24 years.
According to a new agreement reached during Putin’s visit, both countries must provide military and other assistance promptly in case of an attack on either nation.
Describing the agreement as the “strongest ever treaty” between Pyongyang and Moscow, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Putin expressed mutual respect and invited each other for future visits.