For over a decade, I've navigated the complexities of North Korean affairs, security, and foreign policy from both Seoul and Washington, D.C.

As the National Desk Political Team Lead, I track the pulse of geopolitics, closely following developments from the Unification Ministry and the Foreign Ministry. My mornings start with Rodong Sinmun -- North Korea's state mouthpiece -- before diving into the day's headlines from Seoul and Washington.

North Korea has signaled its intention to prioritize ties with Russia over the resumption of dialogue with the United States after US President Donald Trump renewed his overtures to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un prior to his trip to South Korea.

Expectations are mounting over a possible impromptu encounter -- reminiscent of his surprise meeting with Kim at the demilitarized zone in June 2019 -- as Trump is set to embark on a two-day state visit on Wednesday during the APEC Economic Leaders' Week.

However, North Korean state media announced on Sunday morning that Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui will visit Russia and its ally Belarus at the invitation of their foreign ministers, three days before Trump's arrival in South Korea.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency released the news without further details, including the date of Choe's trip. Choe's visit to Russia will come about a year after she traveled to Moscow in November last year to hold talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and pay a courtesy call on President Vladimir Putin.

Observers in Seoul saw the announcement as a sign of Pyongyang's reluctance to pursue a Trump-Kim summit.

"The fact that North Korea released the news of Choe's Russia trip serves as both a reaffirmation of its consistency in placing importance on the 'blood alliance' with Russia and a clear message to the US implying a rejection of a possible meeting with Trump," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul.

Lim underscored that "it is also worth noting that a Trump-Kim meeting without Choe Son-hui -- who has been in charge of overseeing diplomacy toward the US at the working level -- is hard to imagine."

"If Pyongyang were keeping even the slightest possibility of a surprise meeting in mind, it would be reasonable to assume that Choe and all other working-level officials in charge of US affairs would be on emergency standby."

The report on Choe's trip to Russia came about a day after Trump once again expressed his willingness to meet Kim -- effectively throwing the ball into Pyongyang's court -- during a press briefing aboard Air Force One on Friday, local time, as he departed for his trip to Asia.

"I would if he would contact," Trump said when asked if he had any plans to meet with Kim at the DMZ separating the two Koreas, boasting of their "great relationship."

"The last time I met him, I put it out over the internet that I'm coming to South Korea and if he'd like to meet, I'm open to it. I'd do it. I'd do it, if you want to put out the word, I'm open to it."

Trump was referring to his surprise meeting with Kim on June 30, 2019 -- their last encounter and third in-person meeting. At the time, Trump had offered to meet Kim at the inter-Korean border and the DMZ via Twitter before departing Japan after the G-20 summit in Osaka. The meeting took place at the DMZ roughly 32 hours after Trump's tweet.

Trump also gave an affirmative response when asked whether he was open to North Korea's demand to be recognized as a nuclear state as a precondition for dialogue with Washington.

"Well, I think they are sort of a nuclear power. I mean, I know how many weapons they have," Trump said. "When you say they have to be recognized as a nuclear power, well, they've got a lot of nuclear weapons. I'll say that."

Within the Lee Jae Myung administration, views are divided over the possibility of a Trump-Kim summit. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac has voiced caution about the prospects of an impromptu Trump-Kim meeting.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday claimed that there are "clues and signs" suggesting that Washington and Pyongyang may be preparing for a surprise Trump-Kim meeting.

Chung, however, added that there is "no confirmed information about any behind-the-scenes contact between North Korea and the US."

Chung cited the suspension of tours by the United Nations Command to the truce village of Panmunjom in the DMZ during the APEC summit as one example of the signs.

Another key sign Chung pointed out is North Korea's recent beautification and clean-up work -- such as trimming trees and weeding -- around the Panmungak building on the northern side of the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom.

Chung explained that such activities took place within the past week and had not been observed for about a year.

Trump courts Kim again, but N. Korea signals turn to Russia