Putin in North Korea to boost defence ties

Putin arrived in Kim Il Sung square, which was bedecked with Russian and North Korean flags along with large portraits of the two leaders, state media images showed, for a ceremony ahead of talks at the Kumsusan State Guest House, where a "strategic partnership" deal is likely to be signed.

This picture taken early on June 19, 2024 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (centre R) welcoming Russia's President Vladimir Putin (centre L) upon his arrival at Pyongyang International Airport in the North Korean capital. (AFP)