Report: Kim Jong-un confirms Russia visit

The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-un, has confirmed he will attend celebrations in Russia in May marking the Soviet victory over Germany in World War II, Yonhap News Agency said on Wednesday, citing a Kremlin spokesman.

The trip would be Kim's first foreign visit since taking power in 2011, succeeding his father Kim Jong-il.

"About 20 state leaders have confirmed their attendance, and the DPRK leader is among them," Yonhap quoted a Kremlin spokesman as saying.

"The participation of the DPRK leader has been confirmed, we are preparing for his arrival," Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Pyongyang and Moscow have been looking to strengthen their relationship. Russia has pushed ahead with plans for natural gas and transport projects with the DPRK in the hope of boosting gas exports to Asia and exporting coal to the Republic of Korea through an experimental consortium based in the DPRK.

Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Pyongyang had sent a positive signal after Putin invited Kim to the victory celebrations. Russia marks the anniversary every year on May 9.

Dialogue table

The Republic of Korea's Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae urged the DPRK again on Wednesday to return to the dialogue table to open an era of unification on the Korean Peninsula.

"It would not be right to become skeptical, as the DPRK has not come to the dialogue table at present," Ryoo said at a seminar in Seoul. "I anticipate the DPRK will come forward for talks and go together toward the path of unification."

His comments came as both the ROK and the DPRK refused to take a step back from their stance, making it harder to create an atmosphere conducive to dialogue.

Pyongyang has called for the suspension of joint annual military exercises between Seoul and Washington in 2015 in return for its stopping of nuclear tests. Seoul said it will conduct three major war games with the US as scheduled.

Reuters - Xinhua - AFP