A train that is believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is on the way to Russia for a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, South Korean media is reporting, according to The Associated Press.
Meeting confirmed
7:20 a.m. EDT Sept. 11: Both Russia and North Korea have confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia.
Original story: Citing unidentified South Korean government sources, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported that the train likely left the North Korean capital of Pyongyang on Sunday evening and that a Kim-Putin meeting is possible as early as Tuesday, the BBC reported.
It has been reported by the Russian news agency Interfax that Kim is expected to visit “in the coming days.”
Japan’s Kyodo news agency cited Russian officials as saying that Kim was possibly heading for Russia in his personal train.
According to CBS News, unnamed U.S. officials said Putin could focus on securing weapons from North Korea for its ongoing war with Ukraine in exchange for energy, food aid and advanced weapons technologies.
Analysts say North Korea could have tens of millions of artillery shells and rockets based on Soviet designs, the AP reported. Such a stash of arms would be a great help in Russia’s war effort.
Kim is said to have a fear of flying and that is why he is traveling by train to Russia, according to The Washington Post.
The train is armored and, according to a 2009 article from the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, there are a total of 90 carriages in the train.
Kim’s last trip abroad was to Vladivostok in 2019. He took his train for that trip.
Check back for more on this developing story.
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