Putin “accepts Kim’s invitation to visit Pyongyang”

Kim has invited Putin to travel to the DPRK, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported, claiming that the offer was accepted.

Kim was received at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East region on Wednesday as he tours the country for an official visit. Met by Putin and other top Russian officials at the space-launch site, Kim reportedly invited the president to see his own country in person after the event.

“At the end of the reception, Kim Jong-un courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK at a convenient time,” KCNA reported, adding that “Putin accepted the invitation with pleasure and reaffirmed his will to invariably carry forward the history and tradition of the Russia-DPRK friendship.”

However, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov no concrete plans had yet been made for such a visit.

“No, not planned yet. There are no such plans yet. But I repeat once again that this is our neighbor, it is in our interests to develop those relations that correspond to our interests,” he told reporters.

Two rounds of bilateral talks were held at the cosmodrome, including one involving North Korean and Russian delegations and another face-to-face meeting between Putin and Kim. The North Korean leader reportedly stressed the importance of the “traditional and strategic DPRK-Russia friendship,” saying it “powerfully encouraged the just struggle for accomplishing the cause of independence against imperialism,” per KCNA.

In addition to Kim, DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and several other top officials were invited to the meeting, which was also attended by Moscow’s defense chief Sergey Shoigu, who visited North Korea with a Russian delegation in July.