Leaders from two Koreas may meet in Russia in September
By Lee Min-hyung
With Russian President Vladimir Putin inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to his country, expectations are that leaders from the two Koreas may meet in Russia this fall for the first time in a third country.
The Kremlin said Monday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov delivered Putin's letter of invitation to Kim for an upcoming economic forum set to take place in Vladivostok in September. This came during the minister's visit to Pyongyang last month when he met with the regime's leader to discuss the ongoing denuclearization drive on the Korean Peninsula and Russia's role to realize the goal.
“Details and time will be further coordinated through diplomatic channels (for Kim's possible visit to Russia),” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He said the forum is one of the options that will allow Kim's possible trip to the country.
Nothing has been confirmed yet about whether Kim will join the Eastern Economic Forum, and as usual, North Korea did not report anything about the invitation and Kim's upcoming schedule.
It is also undecided whether South Korean President Moon Jae-in will attend the annual forum, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Last year, Moon participated.
But once the leaders of the two Koreas agree to join the event, this will mark the first time they will meet outside of the Korean Peninsula.
Moon and Kim held their first-ever summit in April on the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjeom where they signed a series of peace agreements. Last month, they also held another surprise summit on the northern side of the village after Kim's request to discuss their roles ahead of next week's historic meeting between Kim and United States President Donald Trump.
Given the reclusive nature of North Korea, Kim and his predecessors have been reluctant to take an overseas trip for a meeting with their overseas counterparts. But with Kim planning to visit Singapore for the summit with Trump, there is still a chance that Kim may fly to the Russian city for the three-day forum that begins on Sept. 11.
Considering the longtime allied relations between Pyongyang and Moscow, some critics also raise the possibility that Kim and Putin can hold a summit before the forum. Kim's rare peace signals across global society also increase the likelihood for Kim's Kremlin visit soon after his meeting with Trump.
Kim is also apparently seeking to take advantage of political influences of Russia before and after the Washington-Pyongyang summit. In an unusual gesture for peace, Kim has also recently held summits twice with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a bid to tighten the strategic alliance between the two countries and grab the upper hand during the upcoming denuclearization dialogue with Trump.