EBN- Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov presented a gift to the Pyongyang Zoo of 70 animals, including an African lion, two Russian brown bears and two domesticated yaks.
“Among the animals donated to the Pyongyang Zoo are an African lion, two brown bears, two domesticated yaks, five white cockatoos, 25 birds of various species and 40 Mandarin ducks,” said Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
The Pyongyang Central Zoo has been operating since 1959 and is home to both familiar Korean animals and exotic species, such as elephants, hippos and giraffes. The transfer of animals from Russia was made possible by the Pyongyang Zoo’s membership in the Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The two countries agreed to increase flights not only from eastern Russia but also to major cities, as the total number of mutual tourists between North Korea and Russia until September 2024 amounted to more than 5,000 tourists, 70% of whom chose to travel by air.
The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment added that dozens of meetings were held during the 11th session of the Russian-North Korean intergovernmental commission in Pyongyang, where the two sides discussed the foundations of joint cooperation in various fields, including sports, culture, tourism and education. Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov also met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss various areas of cooperation.
In the field of sports, the two sides also agreed to increase exchanges. Russia and North Korea intend to increase cooperation in the cultural field by presenting artistic performances, joint events, exchanging art exhibitions and film festivals.
