Ties underscored in Putin-Kim summit

MOSCOW — Developing relations with Moscow is the top priority for Pyongyang, Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said on Wednesday, according to the Kremlin.

"Our friendship has deep roots, and relations with the Russian Federation is the top priority for our country now," Kim said during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny spaceport in the Amur region in Russia's Far East.

Kim thanked the Russian president for the invitation to Russia.

Kim also expressed confidence that bilateral talks will help to "bring relations to a new level".

In remarks before the private meeting, Kim offered Putin on Wednesday his country's "full and unconditional support" for Russia's "fight to defend its security interests", and said Pyongyang will always stand with Moscow on the "anti-imperialist" front.

Putin welcomed Kim to Russia and said he was glad to see him, saying the talks would cover economic cooperation, humanitarian issues and the "situation in the region".

Ahead of the announcement of the talks, Russian news agencies published images of Kim and Putin touring the vast space center.

The two leaders began their meeting with a tour of a Soyuz-2 space rocket launch facility. They then met together with their delegations and later one-on-one, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu took part in the talks with Kim, as did Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, images on Russian state television showed.

The Russian president threw an official dinner for Kim following the one-on-one talk.

During the dinner, Putin toasted the "strengthening of future cooperation" with the DPRK.

"A toast to the future strengthening of cooperation and friendship between our countries," Putin said, in footage aired by Russian television.

Putin said Kim would continue his tour of Russia's Far East with a visit to Vladivostok and to military and other factories, RIA news agency reported.

Peskov said after the meeting that Russia sees prospects for cooperating with the DPRK in space, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Xinhua - Agencies