North Korea's Kim Jong Un is in Russia
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Russia, Japanese media reported on Tuesday, for what the Kremlin said would be a comprehensive discussion with President Vladimir Putin amid warnings from Washington they should not agree on an arms deal, Reuters reports.
Kim left Pyongyang for Russia on Sunday on his private train, the North's state media reported on Tuesday, accompanied by top arms industry and military officials and the foreign minister.
Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed Russian official source, that a train carrying Kim had arrived at Khasan station, the main rail gateway to Russia's Far East from North Korea.
South Korea's Defence Ministry spokesman said it believes Kim entered Russia early Tuesday.
Kim does not travel abroad frequently, making just seven trips away from his country and twice stepping across the inter-Korean border in his 12 years in power. Four of those trips were to the North's main political ally, China.
"It will be a full-fledged visit," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "There will be negotiations between two delegations, and after that, if necessary, the leaders will continue their communication in a one-on-one format."
An official at the Khasan administration declined to comment on the reports of Kim's arrival.
U.S. officials, who first said the visit was imminent, said that arms talks between Russia and North Korea were actively advancing and that Kim and Putin are likely to discuss providing Russia with weapons for the war in Ukraine.
