North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives in Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on Tuesday for an expected meeting with President Vladimir Putin that has sparked concerns about a potential arms deal for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, joined by top military officials in charge of nuclear-capable weapons and munitions factories. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim boarded his personal train Sunday afternoon, accompanied by unspecified members of the country’s ruling party, government and military.
South Korea’s military assessed the train crossed into Russia sometime early Tuesday, Jeon Ha Gyu, spokesperson of South Korea’s Defense Ministry, said in a briefing without elaborating on how the military obtained the information. Kim’s delegation likely includes his foreign minister, Choe Sun Hui, and his top two military officials, Korean People’s Army Marshals Ri Pyong Chol and Pak Jong Chon.
Other officials identified in North Korean state media photos may hint at what Kim might seek from Putin and what he would be willing to give. Kim is apparently bringing Jo Chun Ryong, a ruling party official in charge of munitions policies who accompanied the leader on recent tours of factories producing artillery shells and missiles.