Trump, Putin, Xi: Kim Jong Un's overseas trips in pictures

Yahoo News UK takes a look at Kim's foreign trips since he became leader in 2011.

Jimmy Nsubuga
Updated ·5-min read
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un attend a present-exchanging ceremony following their talks in Vladivostok, Russia April 25, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
Russian president Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet in Russia in 2019. (Reuters)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to meet president Vladimir Putin in Russia this month, which would be his first official overseas trip in more than four years.

Kim will travel to the far-eastern port city of Vladivostok by armoured train to meet Putin, possibly to discuss supplying Russia with weapons for its war with Ukraine, according to reports.

It is likely to take almost a full day to travel more than 1,000 km (600 miles) to Vladivostok across the border with Russia, taking account of North Korea's poor rail network.

While he has made more trips abroad than his father, Kim Jong Il, as leader, Kim's travel is often shrouded in secrecy and heavy security.

The trip, which has not been officially confirmed, would be his first since the coronavirus pandemic.

Here Yahoo News UK takes a look at Kim's foreign visits since he became leader in 2011

Kim visits China

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks with China's President Xi Jinping during a visit to Dalian, China in this undated photo released on May 9, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. NOT FOR USE BY REUTERS THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTORS. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks with China's President Xi Jinping during a visit to Dalian, China. (Reuters)
DALIAN, May 8, 2018 -- Xi Jinping (R), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, holds talks with Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on May 7-8. (Xinhua/Ju Peng via Getty Images)
The two leaders in Dalian, north-east China, in 2018. (Reuters)
BEIJING, Jan. 9, 2019 -- Xi Jinping 2nd R, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chinese president, and his wife Peng Liyuan 1st R pose for photos with Kim Jong Un 2nd L, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and his wife Ri Sol Ju at Beijing Hotel in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 9, 2019. Xi Jinping on Tuesday held talks with Kim Jong Un, who arrived in Beijing on the same day for a visit to China. On Wednesday, Xi Jinping met with Kim Jong Un at Beijing Hotel. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen via Getty Images)
Xi Jinping meets Kim Jong Un in Beijing in January 2019. (Getty)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 10, 2019. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.
The two allies hold a meeting in Beijing in January 2019. (Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seen during his visit in Beijing, China, in this undated photo released June 20, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.
Kim Jong Un is seen during his visit to Beijing. (Reuters)

Who did he meet?

Chinese president Xi Jinping

Where did they meet?

Beijing and Dalian

When did they meet?

25-28 March, 7-8 May, 19 - 20 June, 2018 and 7-10 January, 2019

What happened?

Making his first foreign trip as leader, Kim visited China, the North's main political ally and economic benefactor in March 2018.

He travelled to Beijing by a special train and held a summit with President Xi Jinping.

In May and June, Kim flew his personal Ilyushin jet to the north-eastern Chinese city of Dalian and Beijing and held another summit with Xi.

The visit came amid expectations of Kim's summit with Trump.

In January 2019, Kim visited China for a fourth time, travelling to Beijing by train amid expectations of a second summit with Trump.

Read more: Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un in second meeting in China (The Telegraph)

Kim meets South Korean president Moon Jae-in

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pose for photographs, alongside their spouses, North Korea's Ri Sol Ju and South Korea's first lady Kim Jung-sook, on the top of Mt. Paektu, North Korea, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 21, 2018. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT.
South Korean president Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pose for photographs alongside their wives. (Reuters)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju and Moon's wife Kim Jung-sook attend a farewell ceremony at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, April 27, 2018. Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via Reuters
Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un attend a farewell ceremony at the truce village of Panmunjom. (Reuters)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju and Moon's wife Kim Jung-sook attend a farewell ceremony at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, April 27, 2018. Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via Reuters
The two leaders embrace. (Reuters)

Who did he meet?

South Korean president Moon Jae-in

Where did they meet?

Inter-Korea border in the Panmunjom truce village.

When did they meet?

April 27, 2018

What happened?

Kim stepped across the inter-Korea border in the Panmunjom truce village for a summit with president Moon Jae-in.

It was the first time a North Korean leader had set foot in the South, Kim's first summit with a South Korean leader and the third ever by a North Korean leader.

The two pledged to improve ties, end military confrontation and bring peace and common prosperity.

Read more: South Korea's President Wants Peace With North Korea (News Week)

Kim meets president Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pose at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore in this picture released on June 12, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. NOT FOR USE BY REUTERS THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTORS. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Singapore in in June 2018. (Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shake hands during a meeting at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un met in the demilitarized zone in the inter-Korean border. (Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The two leaders at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas. (Reuters)
(180612) -- SINGAPORE, June 12, 2018 -- Top leader of the Democratic People s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump during the signing ceremony of a joint statement in Singapore on June 12, 2018. Ministry of Communication and Information of Singapore) (dtf) SINGAPORE-DPRK-U.S.-SUMMIT LixPeng PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
Kim Jong Un shakes hands with Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018. (PA)
(180612) -- SINGAPORE, June 12, 2018 -- Top leader of the Democratic People s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un (L) meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore, on June 12, 2018. ) (zcc) SINGAPORE-DPRK-U.S.-SUMMIT ThexStraitsxTimes PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
The two leaders in Singapore. (PA)

Who did he meet?

President Donald Trump

Where did they meet?

Singapore, Vietnam and Inter-Korean border

When did they meet?

10-12 June, 2018, 26-28 February, 2019 and 30 June, 2019

What happened?

In June 2018, Kim flew to Singapore for the first summit between North Korea and the United States.

The meeting resulted in a joint statement on establishing new relations between the two countries, giving security guarantees for North Korea and a pledge by the North to end its nuclear programme.

In February 2019, Kim visited the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi for a second summit with Trump.

He took the train from Pyongyang through China over three days to Vietnam.

After two days of meetings, the talks between Kim and Trump collapsed over a disagreement on lifting sanctions imposed on the North and how to dismantle its nuclear programme.

In June 2019, Kim stepped across the inter-Korean border for further talks with Trump.

Read more: What Kim-Trump's handshake reveals about historic meeting in Singapore (Yahoo News UK)

Kim meets Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees North Korean leader Kim Jong Un off following their talks at the Far Eastern Federal University campus on Russky island in the far-eastern Russian port of Vladivostok on April 25, 2019. (Photo by Alexey NIKOLSKY / SPUTNIK / AFP) (Photo credit should read ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
Vladimir Putin and Jong Un in the far-eastern Russian port of Vladivostok in 2019. (Getty)
VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA - APRIL 25 : (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT -
The two leaders meeting in Russia. (Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ride an escalator following their talks at the Far Eastern Federal University campus on Russky island in the far-eastern Russian port of Vladivostok on April 25, 2019. (Photo by Alexey NIKOLSKY / SPUTNIK / AFP) (Photo credit should read ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are set to meet again this month. (Getty)

Who did he meet?

Russia president Vladimir Putin

Where did they meet?

Russia

When did they meet?

April 24, 2019

What happened?

Kim visited Vladivostok for his first summit with Putin, taking the train for the nearly day-long trip, crossing the Tumen River border into Russia.

The meeting saw the pair discuss the nuclear stalemate with Russia, just months after talks with then-US president Trump collapsed.

Read more: Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin’s first meeting appears to send message to Donald Trump (The Independent, 3-min read)

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