SEOUL – A North Korean delegation led by the Cabinet minister for international trade is visiting Iran, the North’s official media said on April 24 in a rare public report of an exchange between the two countries believed to have secret military ties.

Minister for External Economic Relations Yun Jong Ho left Pyongyang on April 23 by air, leading a ministry delegation to visit Iran, the North’s KCNA news agency said. It gave no other detail.

North Korea and Iran have long been suspected of cooperating on ballistic missile programmes, possibly exchanging technical expertise and components that went into their manufacture.

Iran has provided a large number of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine, Reuters reported in February.

North Korea is also suspected of supplying Russia with missiles and artillery, although both countries have denied the allegation.

Mr Yun previously worked on the North’s ties with Syria, according to a South Korean government database.

He has been active in the North’s increasing exchanges with Russia, earlier in April leading a delegation to visit Moscow, according to KCNA. REUTERS