The foreign ministries of North Korea and Laos signed a new cooperation agreement last week in Vientiane to replace the previously expired one, according to press releases from both countries.

North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) released a statement on Tuesday evening calling it an “Agreement on Cooperation” with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic MFA, that “would make an important contribution to further consolidating and developing the friendly relations.”

A separate releasefrom the Lao MFA confirmed the signing ceremony took place on March 25 in Vientiane between resident DPRK Ambassador Ri Yong Chol and Lao deputy foreign minister