North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju inspect an honour guard before leaving Pyongyang for a visit to China, this January 7, 2019 photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang January 8, 2019. KCNA via REUTERS
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
Kim’s visit, his fourth summit with Xi, comes amid reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Kim traveled to China three times to meet with Xi last year before and after summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
South Korea’s Hankyoreh newspaper first reported late on Monday that Kim will meet Xi in Beijing.
Reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Michael Perry