JABAR EKSPRES – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on Tuesday morning, where he is scheduled to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials at South Korea’s defense ministry said.
The meeting comes amid growing concerns over a possible arms deal between Pyongyang and Moscow.
The North Korea News Agency (KCNA) confirmed on Tuesday morning that Kim left Pyongyang for Russia by train on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by top officials from the North’s ruling party and armed forces.
KCNA said Kim “departed from here by train on Sunday afternoon to visit the Russian Federation,” without saying whether the train crossed its border.
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Hours after the KCNA report, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Jeon Ha-kyou gave an assessment that Kim Jong Un’s train had crossed into Russia on Tuesday morning, adding that the ministry was closely monitoring possible talks between the two countries over arms trade.
“Given that there are many military personnel accompanying him, (we are) closely monitoring whether negotiations on arms trade between North Korea and Russia, as well as on technology transfer, will take place,” Jeon said.
Meanwhile, Russian media outlet “Vesti Primorye” reported that Kim’s train arrived in the Russian border town of Khasan on Tuesday, and was on its way to the far eastern Russian city of Ussuriysk, citing a source at the railroad.
The train passed Khasan Station on Tuesday morning and was already in the Primorsky Krai area, according to Russian media reports.
A number of photos released by North Korean state media showed Kim accompanied by Pyongyang’s Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, as well as top military officials Ri Pyong-chol and Pak Jong-chon.
However, when and where Kim and Putin will meet remains unknown, and Kim’s whereabouts remain unclear.
