Russian Ambassador to North Korea Dies

Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora.

The Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora has died at the age of 70, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday (December 8). The exact cause of death was not given.

Matsegora was last seen on Tuesday, when he met with Russian university students taking part in a Korean language course in Moscow. Photos released by the Foreign Ministry showed him talking to students and exchanging views with teachers.

In announcing his death, the Russian Foreign Ministry praised Matsegora for his significant contribution to the establishment and deepening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea.

Last year, President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement that pledged mutual assistance in the event of “aggression” between the two countries. The two countries have forged closer ties amid tensions with the West. After the agreement, Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to Russia's Kursk region to repel the Ukrainian invasion.

Matsegora was appointed ambassador to North Korea in 2014. Previously, he was the first deputy director of the Asian Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry and served as counselor-envoy at the Russian embassy in Pyongyang for five years. In February 2024, he was awarded the prestigious Order of Alexander Nevsky by President Putin.

Moscow Times