ArirangNews

김정은, 푸틴과 3시간여 첫 정상회담…비핵화 공조 주력

Once again our starting point is the first ever summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The event was held at a university on Russky Island.
Cha Sang-mi has the details from the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok
The first-ever summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin went on for over three hours,... two of which the leaders spent alone together.
At the banquet, Putin quoted the old North Korean saying -- "We can move mountains if we work together," as he gave a toast to Pyeongyang and Moscow's bilateral cooperation, and the peace and happiness of the peoples of North Korea and Russia.
"Last year, amid a complicated situation internationally, we celebrated the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. But we have seen the Korean Peninsula stabilize recently. Russia is trying its best to play an active role in resolving problems on the peninsula diplomatically."
"The friendly relations of North Korea and Russia are based on a history of common purpose and interests. The people of the two countries are dear friends. We formed this affection as comrades fighting the Japanese during the war and as soldiers who bled for the liberation of Korea.
The leaders' one-on-one meeting started at 2:10 p.m., local time,... at the Far Eastern Federal University.
The campus was built specifically at Putin's personal order to host the APEC summit of 2012.
The one-on-one meeting was planned to last only 50 minutes but went on for about two hours, followed by extended talks with their respective top aides.
On Kim's side was his translator, Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.
The Russian delegation consisted of numerous figures related to the economy and infrastructure, including the CEO of Russia's railways as well as the transport minister.
The North Korean leader said his talks with Putin were (quote)"very meaningful" and Putin called them a "substantial discussion", exchanging views on Pyeongyang’s nuclear program and ways to develop their future ties.
The last time leaders from north Korea and Russia met was in 2011... when it was Kim's late father, Kim Jong-il, who met the then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.