Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Kim Jong-un set for summit with Putin
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is greeted by an honor guard as he arrives at the railway station in the Russian far-eastern city of Vladivostok, Wednesday. He is schedule to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, today. / Reuters-Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
Kim-Putin summit scheduled for today
By Lee Min-hyung
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Vladivostok on his personal train, Wednesday, for a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin today.
Russia gave a red-carpet welcome for Kim at the train station in the Russian Far Eastern city amid tight security.
Kim wore a black coat and fedora and smiled even after the hours-long trip.
The North Korean leader inspected an honor guard, and then talked with Russian officials there for about 10 minutes before leaving the city's railway station.
A black sedan took him possibly to the Far Eastern Federal University where the summit will take place. He is not expected to engage in any diplomatic events Wednesday.
En route to Vladivostok, Kim's train stopped at Khasan near the border between the two countries at around 9:40 a.m. (KST).
Russian government officials greeted the North Korean leader with flowers, salt and bread, as part of a local tradition to welcome guests. Local media outlets reported that Kim said he would visit Russia again in the future.
Kim stayed at the station for about an hour before resuming his journey to Vladivostok.
The North's state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) also reported, “Kim Jong-un left for Russia at dawn Wednesday using his private train,”
A group of ranking officials accompanied Kim, including North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, according to the propaganda outlet.
Contrary to expectations, Kim Yong-chol, Pyongyang's key nuclear negotiator, and first lady Ri Sol-ju, did not join the entourage.
The KCNA did not share any details of Kim's itinerary there.
However, the Kremlin confirmed that the summit between Putin and Kim will take place today.
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies Tuesday that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will be at the top of the agenda for discussion between the two leaders.
The adviser said Putin and Kim will have a one-on-one meeting followed by an expanded summit with other officials. Putin will also host an official banquet to welcome Kim, according to the official.
The Russian presidential office said, as of now, it does not have any plans to release any joint agreements or statements.
Kim's Russia visit comes at a critical time when denuclearization negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang show no signs of progress after Kim's failed Hanoi summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in February.
The North sought to obtain partial sanctions relief during the nuclear talks with Trump in exchange for dismantling its nuclear facility in Yongbyon.
But with the U.S. refusing the request, the highly anticipated summit in the Vietnamese capital ended in failure. At the time, Trump reaffirmed his determination to continue implementing tough sanctions on the regime until it signed a “big deal” for complete denuclearization.
Kim is expected to discuss the ongoing stalemate with the U.S. with Putin
The young dictator will likely ask for Russia's support to gain some leverage in upcoming negotiations with Washington.
Russia has been one of the two strongest allies of the North. Moscow has particularly called for the need to partially ease sanctions in exchange for the North's suspension of nuclear and missile tests.
It is unfeasible for Russia to provide direct economic support to the North, as Moscow is one of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
One possible item up for discussion will be the issue of repatriating North Korean workers in Russia. Under U.N. sanctions, North Korean workers in Russia will have to return home by the end of this year.
“The North wants to dodge this restriction by any means, so Kim will likely raise the issue during the summit with Putin,” said Shin Beom-chul, a senior researcher at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
“As a permanent member of the UNSC, Russia should impose the restriction, so chances are that Russia will offer to grant short-term resident visas for North Korean workers to help them continue to work there.”