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| North Korean leader Kim Jong-un |
"Our invitation has been handed over," Russia's TASS news agency quoted Kremlin presidential aide Yuri Ushako as saying, Wednesday. "The dates will be agreed on. We are awaiting our North Korean counterparts' response."
As usual, the North has yet to report anything about Kim's possible Russia trip, but speculation is rampant in South Korea that the visit is imminent, as his de facto chief of staff, Kim Chang-son, visited Moscow and Vladivostok last month.
As Kim Chang-son is known as the key North Korean figure handling the young dictator's overseas travel, his recent Russia trip is seen as increasing the likelihood of the visit.
Russian Minister of the Interior Vladimir Kolokoltsev began a three-day trip to Pyongyang, Monday. On Tuesday, the minister met with Kim Yong-nam, the president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, according to the regime's propaganda mouthpiece the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).
The KNCA also reported both countries exchanged views on current political affairs and discussed ways to develop friendly relations. But first and foremost, the Pyongyang visit by the ranking official is seen as part of efforts to arrange an upcoming trip to Russia for Kim.
Experts argue the North Korean leader may be seeking a breakthrough in the stalled nuclear talks with the U.S. by enhancing partnerships with the regime's traditional allies.
"It is highly feasible for Kim Jong-un to visit Russia before long to step up diplomatic pressures against the U.S. in the wake of the failed Hanoi summit," Shin Beom-chul, a senior director at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said.
"Under the current diplomatic situation, Kim Jong-un may be seeking to show off his strong alliance with Russia, as part of efforts to take advantage of the latter's diplomatic influence," Shin said. As Kim travelled to Hanoi by train, he is likely to do the same for Russia, according to the expert.
China and Russia have been the North's two biggest allies for decades. In particular, Kim has maintained close relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the past year while the denuclearization negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang were underway.
Last year, Kim and Xi held four summits whose main agenda item was the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. As a long-time ally, Kim is likely to have updated Xi on the progress of the nuclear talks with the U.S. during the meetings.
The outlook for the nuclear disarmament talks looked optimistic before the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in Vietnam in February. But with the two leaders failing to reach a deal, reconciliatory relations between the two have since shown no signs of progress.
In recent weeks, the situation has become worse, with Pyongyang threatening to resume its nuclear program and halt dialogues with Washington.
To tackle the deadlocked nuclear talks with the U.S., the North may seek to take advantage of the diplomatic power of not just China, but also Russia.
Last May, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Kim an invitation to join the Eastern Economic Forum held annually in September in Vladivostok. But the regime's young leader did not participate in the meeting.
