Pyongyang considers Russian President Vladimir Putin as a close friend of the North Korean people and is ready to offer him a warm reception if he wants to pay a visit, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Sunday citing a statement from the country’s Foreign Ministry.
According to KCNA, North Korea "warmly welcomes President Putin to visit Pyongyang and is ready to greet the Korean people's closest friend with the greatest sincerity."
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated earlier that the dates of Putin’s possible visit to North Korea were being coordinated via diplomatic channels.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui paid a visit to Moscow earlier this week, holding talks with top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov. The two foreign ministers also met with Putin who has a standing invitation to visit North Korea.