Kim Jong Il, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), will meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a visit to Russia, the Kremlin said Saturday.
Foreign news agencies had widely reported on the visit which began Saturday, but neither the DPRK government or the Kremlin confirmed the visit until DPRK's official KCNA news agency reported that Kim will visit Russia.
"Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will pay an unofficial visit to Siberia and Far Eastern region of the Russian Federation at the invitation of Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation," the terse report said.
During the visit, the top leaders of the two countries will have a meeting, it added.
Earlier, Russian media reported that Kim arrived in Russia's eastern city of Khasan Friday on a special train on Saturday,
Kim was received by Russia officials at the train station.
The DPRK top leader will travel to Ulan Ude, where he is expected to meet with Medvedev, according to the report.