Russia's top security official arrives in Pyongyang for talks

Sergei Shoigu the secretary of the security council of the Russian Federation — Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of the security council of the Russian Federation, is seen in this undated file photo. Yonhap

SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - Russia's high-ranking security official arrived in Pyongyang for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Moscow state-run news agency TASS reported on Friday.

Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of the security council of the Russian Federation, is also expected to meet with other senior officials during his trip.

The visit comes amid increasingly close ties between the two countries, with Pyongyang's deployment of thousands of troops to Moscow to support its war in Ukraine.

Speculation is growing that Kim may make a reciprocal visit to Moscow for talks, following an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin during his trip to Pyongyang in June last year.

Earlier this month, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko also visited Pyongyang, where he met with his counterpart Choe Son-hui.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

Russia's top security official arrives in Pyongyang for talks

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