Putin's North Korea visit cut short due to late arrival

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, walks as North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un shakes hands with the Russian delegation during their meeting at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport outside Pyongyang, North Korea, June 18. AP-Yonhap

Russian President Vladimir Putin's rare visit to North Korea was shortened to a one-day trip, following his late arrival in Pyongyang early Wednesday morning.

Putin was initially scheduled to arrive late Tuesday for his first visit to the reclusive nation in 24 years, but the Kremlin announced after 2 a.m. Wednesday that he had landed in North Korea's capital, delayed by a prior stop in Yakutsk, a city in eastern Russia.

Before heading to North Korea, Putin met with regional Gov. Aisen Nikolayev and received briefings on various technology and defense-related projects. He also interacted with young professionals and local residents in Russia's Far East.

After completing the engagements, Putin departed for North Korea on his private jet around 9 to 10 p.m. Yakutsk time, which has no time difference from Pyongyang.

Putin is scheduled to attend an official banquet at noon and hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un afterward.

Following the summit, Putin is set to depart for Hanoi, Vietnam, late Wednesday.

Putin has a reputation for arriving late to summit meetings.

In 2014, Putin made German Chancellor Angela Merkel wait 4 hours and 15 minutes, and in 2018, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe waited for 2 hours and 30 minutes.

In 2016, he arrived 1 hour and 45 minutes late for a meeting with then President Park Geun-hye. In 2019, during the G20 summit, he was nearly 2 hours late for a meeting with then President Moon Jae-in.

Wednesday's visit came nine months after Kim held a summit with Putin in Russia's Far East in September. At the time, Putin arrived promptly at the summit site. (Yonhap)