Diplomat Alexander Matsegora Passes Away After Decades Shaping Ties With North Korea

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the death of Ambassador Alexander Matsegora, who served as Moscow’s top envoy to North Korea. He was 70.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Ji-Elle, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Russian Foreign Ministry

In its statement, the ministry extended condolences to his family and emphasized his “significant contribution to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and the DPRK.”

Matsegora had held his post in Pyongyang since 2014, becoming one of Russia’s most experienced specialists on North Korean affairs. Prior to his appointment, he served in the central office of the Russian Foreign Ministry as deputy director of the First Asian Department beginning in 2011.

A Diplomat Formed by Korean Affairs

Born in 1955, Matsegora built a career deeply rooted in the Korean Peninsula. After graduating from MGIMO in 1978, he began his diplomatic service in the Soviet trade mission in the DPRK and later worked on multiple joint Soviet–North Korean initiatives. From 2006 to 2011, he served as minister-counselor at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang.

Professional Legacy

Matsegora was fluent in Korean and English and, since 2011, held the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the second class. His tenure was marked by persistent engagement with North Korean leaders and a steady expansion of bilateral cooperation at a time of shifting geopolitical pressures in the region.