Choi Won-suk is a photojournalist at The Korea Times. Before joining the newspaper, he also worked as a photojournalist with AFP and St. Joseph News-Press in Missouri. He spent 13 years in the United States, graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a Master of Arts in Photography from Ohio University - Athens. Over the past 11 years, Choi covered various news events such as presidential elections, the 2019 North Korea-United States Hanoi Summit and 2022 Qatar World Cup. But above all, Choi believes in local journalism and finds a lot of joy telling life stories of ordinary citizens in small neighborhoods.
Russia's Vladivostok prepares for Kim's arrival for summit with Putin
Security preparations were underway in the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok on Wednesday (April 24) ahead of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Putin and Kim are expected to meet for the first time on Thursday (April 25) on Russky Island in Vladivostok. The summit will take place on the campus of Far East Federal University where security has been tightened since last week.
The sports complex at the university was closed on Tuesday (April 23) and workers were seen bringing in pieces of furniture, a Reuters TV crew at the site reported. A white tent had been erected next to the sports complex.
Security guards at the entrance to the campus were stopping and searching vehicles as they drove in. There were no signs of preparation at Vladivostok railway station.
Vladivostok is the closest major Russian city to the short stretch of border that Russia and North Korea share and can be reached from the border by train, Kim's preferred mode of international transport.
The visit is part of Kim's effort to build foreign support after the breakdown of a second U.S.-North Korea summit in Vietnam in February meant no relief on sanctions for North Korea, analysts said. (Reuters)