Seoul, Sep 13 : South Korea's spy agency National Intelligence Service (NIS) said on Friday that it is closely monitoring the possibility of North Korea's Foreign Minister visiting Russia.

The National Intelligence Service assessed the response to a news report that North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui is expected to visit Russia to attend the fourth Eurasian Women's Forum to be held in St. Petersburg from September 18-20, Yonhap news agency reported.

There has been speculation that Choe may also travel to New York to take part in the UN General Assembly meetings, which are set to open on September 24.

If Choe visits Russia, she may make a courtesy call to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader had attended the opening ceremony of the Eurasian Women's Forum in 2018.

North Korea's Foreign Minister last travelled to Russia in January, when she met with Putin.

North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military and other cooperations, with the North's leader Kim Jong-un and Putin holding summit talks in Pyongyang in June when they signed a new partnership treaty that includes a mutual defence clause.

/IANS