North Korea’s Kim Jong-un has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang with a spectacular ceremony on Wednesday, marking the Russian leader’s first official visit to the neighbouring country since 2000.
The two leaders commenced an official ceremony at Kim Il Sung Square in central Pyongyang around noon on Wednesday. The local military orchestra played the national anthems of the two nations, with artillery guns firing a welcoming salvo. The square that is capable of holding more than 100 thousand people was packed with local residents, who came to greet the Russian president.
Ahead of President Putin’s visit, Pyongyang streets were decorated with countless Russian flags, welcoming banners both in Korean and Russian as well as portraits of the Russian head of state.
The official negotiations between the two delegations began immediately after the ceremony, while the two heads of state are expected to hold more in-depth tête-à-tête talks at some point during the day.
