MOSCOW: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on Tuesday ahead of an expected and closely watched summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported CNN citing state media.
Kim Jong Un’s heavily-armoured private train has arrived in Russia for the summit amid the US warning that the two leaders could strike an arms deal.
The train was travelling north through Primorsky Krai in the Far East region of the country, reported CNN citing Russian state news agency RIA.
According to South Korea’s Defense Ministry, the North Korean leader entered Russia early Tuesday morning.
A video shared by Russia Today on Monday and geolocated by CNN also showed that the train purportedly carrying Kim near the Russian-North Korean border by the Tumen River.
South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu said that the ministry is closely monitoring whether North Korea and Russia will proceed with negotiations on an arms deal and technology transfer.
Russia is in dire need of fresh supplies of ammunition and shells, whereas, North Korea, which has faced years of international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, is now short of everything, from hard cash and food to missile technology, CNN reported.
Moreover, King Jong departed from Pyongyang on Sunday afternoon along with top party officials and members of the government and armed forces, CNN reported citing North Korean news agency KCNA.
However, neither Russia nor North Korea has mentioned when or where the visit would take place. They have not even stated the agenda.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said bilateral relations between the nations will be a priority of the meeting, which will be a “full-blown visit, with talks between the two delegations,” according to TASS.
Peskov further said that a formal dinner is also planned in honour of Kim’s arrival.
North Korean leader Kim’s visit to Russia marks his first foreign trip since the Covid-19 pandemic as during the pandemic, North Korea’s borders were sealed, reported CNN.
Kim’s previous visits to other countries, including his first with Putin came in 2018 and 2019 as Kim participated in a series of talks aimed at the country’s nuclear weapons and missile programs.
However, last week, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States believes the negotiations between North Korea and Russia are “actively advancing” and North Korea will have to pay a “price” if it supplies Russia with weapons for the country to fight its war against Ukraine. (ANI)
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