SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin were set to hold a summit in Russia, the two nations have said, with Kim's armoured train heading for Russia in what could be a significant indication over "growing military cooperation" between Pyongyang and Moscow.
North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed early on Tuesday that Kim had left Pyongyang for Russia aboard his train Sunday afternoon, accompanied by leading officials of the North's ruling party and the armed forces, Yonhap news agency reported.
The KCNA said Kim "left here by his train on Sunday afternoon to visit the Russian Federation", without saying whether the train had crossed its border.
The KCNA reported late Monday that Kim "will meet and have a talk with Comrade Putin during the visit". The Kremlin also confirmed that Kim will visit Russia "in coming days" at the invitation of Putin, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
Photos released by North Korea's state media showed Kim being accompanied by Pyongyang's Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, as well as top military officials Ri Pyong-chol and Pak Jong-chon.