Jun 3, 2018 - World

Report: Syria's Assad plans to visit North Korea's Kim Jong-un

Khorri Atkinson

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad plans to make a state visit to Pyongyang, reports Reuters, citing a Sunday report by the North Korea's state news agency. The report didn't offer a timeline when he will do so.

Why it matters: It would be the first time North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would host a head of state since he assumed power in 2011, and comes amid several other meetings with world leaders.

The backdrop: Kim has now met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on a few different occasions, and secretly met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in March. And his widely anticipated summit with President Trump in Singapore on June 12 is back on.

“The Syrian government will as ever fully support all policies and measures of the DPRK leadership and invariably strengthen and develop the friendly ties with the DPRK.”

— Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on May 30, according to North Korea’s KCNA news agency

Flashback: In February, United Nations monitors accused North Korea of shipping supplies to Syria that could be used for chemical weapons production.

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Report: Syria's Assad plans to visit North Korea's Kim Jong-un

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