▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 20, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (C) welcomed by a cheering crowd and top officials at Pyongyang Railway Station after a special train carrying him arrived in Pyongyang the previous day after a trip to Russia. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 20, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (C) welcomed by a cheering crowd and top officials at Pyongyang Railway Station after a special train carrying him arrived in Pyongyang the previous day after a trip to Russia. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, captured from a 90-minute documentary of North Korea's Central TV on Sept. 20, 2023, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (2nd from R) donning a hat gifted to him by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (R). (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) NK leader-Russia visit

(2nd LD) N. Korea's Kim arrives in Pyongyang after Russia trip: state media

(ATTN: ADDS details, photo on new documentary)

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Pyongyang after traveling to Russia for his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the North's state media reported Wednesday.

Kim arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday evening after completing "immortal external revolutionary activities" that will be recorded in the history of strengthening friendly relations between North Korea and Russia, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim was welcomed by top party and government officials, including Premier Kim Tok-hun, as well as a cheering crowd at Pyongyang Railway Station before reviewing an honor guard, the KCNA said.

Kim, who left Pyongyang on his armored train on Sept. 10, held talks with Putin at the Vostochny space center in Russia's Far East last Wednesday and toured a series of key military sites amid growing concerns of a possible arms deal between the two nations.

The North's leader visited a fighter jet plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on Friday and inspected Russia's nuclear-capable bombers, hypersonic missiles and a warship at a military airfield near Vladivostok the next day.

Including travel time, Kim spent a total of 10 days on his trip to Russia, marking the longest overseas trip by him since taking office in late 2011.

In what appeared to be efforts to highlight bilateral ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, the North's official Korean Central TV aired a new documentary featuring Kim's recent trip to the country Wednesday.

The 90-minute film, titled "An Incident that Led to a New Milestone for the Development of North Korea-Russia Relations" in Korean, portrayed key moments of Kim's trip, such as his summit with Putin and visit to Russia's Pacific Sea Fleet.

It also showed footage of Kim and Putin talking to each other, and the North Korean leader donning a hat given to him as a gift by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]