North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and his Belarusian counterpart, Maxim Ryzhenkov, have reportedly agreed to strengthen the friendship between their countries.

The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency says Choe met Ryzhenkov in Pyongyang on Wednesday.

The news agency says they exchanged views on the global situation, apparently with the situation in Ukraine in mind.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry says the two countries agreed to promote cooperation in a wide range of areas such as healthcare, education, agriculture and cultural affairs.

The North's minister for external economic relations, Yun Jong Ho, also met with Ryzhenkov.

The two ministers reportedly discussed the North's food imports from Belarus and other topics.

Tokyo-based Radiopress news agency, which specializes in analysis of reports from North Korea, says Ryzhenkov is the first Belarusian Foreign Minister to visit since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.

The move between North Korea and Belarus, an ally of Russia, came after Pyongyang concluded a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Moscow at a summit meeting in June.

Pyongyang watchers say North Korea looks poised to form a multi-national alliance against the United States.