Kim Jong-un 'kindly greeted' in Russia — North Korean media
About 300 reporters, including from Asia-Pacific region countries, were accredited to cover the Putin-Kim meeting
PYONGYANG, April 25. /TASS/. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who arrived to Russia on Wednesday, was "kindly greeted" on the Russian territory, North Korea’s KCNA news agency said on Thursday.
"He was kindly greeted at Khasan Railway Station by Alexandr Kozlov, minister of Development of the Far East and Arctic of Russia, and other senior officials who came to the railway station from the capital and local areas to greet him," the agency said. "Kim Jong-un expressed thanks for it and had an amicable talk with them."
According to the agency, "Putin dispatched them [Russian officials] to the border railway station with particular attention given to his [Kim Jong-un’s] current visit."
After the North Korean leader’s private train arrived in Vladivostok, "the chief of the guard of honor of the three services of the armed forces of the Russian Federation made a welcome report" and the national anthems of the two countries were played.
When the greeting ceremony was over, "the Supreme Leader exchanged greetings with senior officials of the capital and local areas and headed for the lodging place."
North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un’s armored train arrived in Vladivostok at around 11:00 Moscow time. After a short official ceremony Kim’s limousine left the Vladivostok railway station and headed to Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) located on the Russky Island, where the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the North Korean leader will hold a summit meeting later on Thursday.
The main topics on the agenda are the peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and ensuring security in Northeast Asia as a whole. The leaders are also going to discuss the state of the bilateral relations, including political, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties. The summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un will be their first meeting in person. Moreover, Russia is the first foreign country that the North Korean leader has visited after the national Supreme People's Assembly re-elected Kim Jong-un as the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission in early April.
According to a TASS correspondent, about 300 reporters, including from Asia-Pacific region countries, were accredited to cover the meeting. A FEFU source earlier said that two halls were prepared for the Putin-Kim talks: one for the summit itself and one for an informal meeting.
A local source, close to Russia’s rail company RZD said Kim’s train is now stationed at the Okeanskaya station on the outskirts of Vladivostok. The journey to it from the city’s main railway station takes about 30 minutes.
"Kim Jong-un armored train was taken to Okeanskaya, where it is now stationed," the source said. "It is guarded exclusively by officers of the North Korean government security agency."