The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Kim Jong-un may make ‘surprise move’ in possible summit with Putin: NIS chief

By Kim Arin

Published : Sept. 7, 2023 - 15:40

    • Link copied

Kim Kyou-hyun, the director of the National Intelligence Service, attends a plenary session of the National Assembly intelligence committee on Thursday. (Yonhap) Kim Kyou-hyun, the director of the National Intelligence Service, attends a plenary session of the National Assembly intelligence committee on Thursday. (Yonhap)

The chief of the South Korean intelligence agency Kim Kyou-hyun believes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s possible summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin could be carried out in a manner that counters earlier media speculations.

Speaking at a closed-door briefing Thursday, the executive secretary for the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, Rep. Yoo Sang-bum, said he was briefed by the National Intelligence Service director that the two leaders “could make a surprise move” with the summit, already highly publicized by the media.

Yoo, quoting the NIS director, said the agency was “working closely with intelligence services of different countries” over the timing and other details of the expected summit.

Based on what’s been revealed so far, the summit is anticipated to happen during the Eastern Economic Forum, which both Kim and Putin will attend, Yoo said.