The ceremony took place in Kim Il Sung Square, named after the founder of the DPRK. Opened in 1954, it is the country’s main square and a symbol of Pyongyang. It can hold up to 100,000 people and has been used for military parades, national holidays, and other large events.
The welcome ceremony included the performance of the national anthems of both countries, accompanied by cannon salutes, as well as greetings exchanged between members of the official delegations. Cavalry units and an honor guard company also took part in it.
Then, Aleksandr Lukashenko visited the Liberation monument in Pyongyang together with Kim Jong Un. The Belarusian leader laid a wreath at the foot of the monument.
The head of state honored the memory of the Soviet soldiers who died liberating Korea from Japanese occupiers. A moment of silence was observed. The anthems of Belarus and the DPRK were performed once again.
A bouquet of flowers was also laid by the Belarusian side at the monument at the request of the President of Russia as a sign of gratitude for the help in the special military operation.
A brief tour around the monument was organized for Aleksandr Lukashenko. The Liberation monument was built to commemorate the soldiers of the Soviet Army who freed Korea during the Second World War. It is a 30-meter statue topped with a red star. The monument was unveiled in August 1946 in Moranbong Park, a popular recreation area for local residents. Nearby lies a cemetery where Soviet soldiers are buried.
Immediately upon arriving in Pyongyang, the Belarusian head of state toued the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang and paid tribute to the late leaders of the DPRK Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
One of the main halls of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun is the hall featuring statues of the two leaders. The bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lie in sarcophagi in the Hall of Eternal Life. The memorial is dedicated to the immortality of the leaders, serves as a symbol of national dignity, and is regarded as an eternal sanctuary.
In general, Aleksandr Lukashenko’s visit to the DPRK is expected to reinforce the legal framework of the relations and contribute to the invigoration of bilateral interaction.
Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un previously met in September 2025 in Beijing where they attended a parade among invited foreign leaders. At that time, the DPRK leader invited the Belarusian president to visit his country at any convenient time.
Currently, the legal framework of bilateral relations consists of intergovernmental agreements on trade and economic cooperation, on the establishment of a joint commission for trade and economic cooperation, and on the promotion and mutual protection of investments. An agreement on the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and property was also concluded earlier.
One of the notable events in recent years in the development of cooperation between Minsk and Pyongyang was the visit to the DPRK by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov in the summer of 2024. At that time, discussions centered on the mutual interest in developing trade. In particular, the possibilities of supplying Belarusian pharmaceutical products and food and importing traditional high-quality Korean cosmetics were discussed.
The prospects for cooperation in agriculture, education, healthcare, culture, and sports were also highlighted.
Belarus expressed its readiness to consider options for participation in trilateral initiatives, implementing various projects not only directly with the DPRK, but also in cooperation with Russia or China. After all, these countries have accumulated decades of experience in relations with the DPRK, which could be leveraged for common interests.
