North Korean leader invited to Russia, visit may take place in September - Kremlin

MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been invited to visit Russia, the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) was mentioned as a possible occasion, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. According to him, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "conveyed an invitation to visit Russia to Kim Jong-un" at their May 31 meeting in Pyongyang. "The Eastern Economic Forum was mentioned as an appropriate occasion for such a visit," Peskov added. "Time and diplomatic consultations will tell how convenient it will be for North Korea. No details (of the visit) have been specified yet," the Kremlin spokesman added. When asked whether Kim Jong-un conveyed a response letter to Putin, Peskov answered in the negative. The Fourth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) will take place in Russia’s Far Easter city of Vladivostok on September 11-13. Far Eastern Federal University campus will traditionally host the event. On June 1, North Korean’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Pyongyang and Moscow had agreed to hold a summit later in the year. According to KCNA, the agreement was reached at the May 31 talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The news agency also said that the parties had agreed "to step up high-level contacts, exchanges and cooperation in various areas, as well as to hold a summit later this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries." Lavrov is the first Russian to meet with the North Korean leader. Their talks took place at the Paekhwawon State Guest House in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. The Russian top diplomat’s visit came against the backdrop of intensified dialogue between the two Korean states and two weeks before a planned meeting between Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, scheduled to be held in Singapore on June 12. Read more