Ri will also visit Azerbaijan and other former Soviet republics in coming days, Japan‘s Kyodo news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source.

The latest visit is part of a flurry of diplomacy that has eased regional tensions after months of bellicose rhetoric between the United States and North Korea over Pyongyang‘s nuclear programme.

Kim is due to hold a summit with South Korea‘s Moon Jae-in on Apr 27 and a landmark summit with US President Donald Trump is also planned.