N. Korea's Kim Jong Un arrives in Russia ahead of confirmed one-on-one with Putin

The South Korean defence ministry has indicated that North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, entered Russia on Tuesday (September 12)aboard his heavily fortified private train. This visitprecedes his anticipated meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

In a statement, the Ministry of National Defence stated, "North Korea's Kim Jong Un is believed to have arrived in Russia early this morning via a private train."

As perRussian state news agency Ria Novosti, the train crossed the border into the Primorsky region from North Korea. Visual evidence showsa train composed of dark green carriages being towed along a railway track by a locomotive from Russian Railways.

A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place in Russia’s Far East, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, as reported by Russian news agency TASS.

"We are not telling yet [where talks will take place] in the Far East," he said, adding that the talks will be held between the two delegations as well as in a one-on-one format, followed by an official dinner.

A grand send-off

North Korean state media published images showing Kim Jong Un passing by honour guards and throngs of citizens carrying the national flag and bouquets. They also featured photographs of him bidding farewell from his green-and-yellow armoured train as it departed from the station, reported the Associated Press.

North Korean leaderKimJongUndeparts Pyongyang, North Korea, to visit Russia, September 10, 2023, in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency. Photo credits: Reuters

Kim's entourage presumably consists of key figures such as his foreign minister, Choe Sun Hui, and high-ranking military officials, including Korean People's Army Marshals Ri Pyong Chol and Pak Jong Chon.

A group of senior officials gathered at the station to give the North Korean leader a warm farewell, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.

Also watch |North Korea's Kim Jong Un to visit Russia for talks with Putin

The Kremlin's official statement on Monday (September 11) briefly mentioned that the visit was at President Putin's invitation and was scheduled to occur "in the coming days." The Korean Central News Agency confirmed that the leaders would hold a meeting but did not specify the exact date and location.

Kim's current trip marks his first foreign journey since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which North Korea imposed stringent border restrictions for over three years to safeguard its underdeveloped healthcare infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies)

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