North Korean leader Kim Jong-un began his first summit with President Vladimir Putin in Russia's Far East city of Vladivostok on Thursday, ONA reports citing the Russian media.
Kim and Putin met at Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island in the Pacific port city, where their national flags are hoisted, security heightened and the adjacent Ajax Bay closed to fend off any suspicious approaches.
In his opening remarks, Kim said that the summit with Putin will be "meaningful" for joint efforts to address Korean Peninsula issues.
"I hope that our meeting, Mr. President, would be useful for deepening and developing the traditionally friendly and deep-rooted relations between North Korea and Russia," he said. "The situation on the Korean Peninsula is of great interest to the entire international community. I hope that our talks will become an important event to assess the situation together and exchange opinions."
"I hope we will have a substantial exchange of opinions," the North Korean leader went on. "We will," Putin replied.
Putin expressed his support for ongoing efforts for inter-Korean dialogue and for improved relations between the North and the U.S.
"On the occasion of (your visit) to Russia this time, I expect that the bilateral relations will develop, and that (we) can find a good solution to addressing the situation on the Korean Peninsula," he told Kim through an interpreter.
"And I think that we will be able to continue this trend, this change that is positively unfolding nowadays," he added.
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