Top North Korean heads to US, Russian Finance Minister to visit Pyongyang

Kim Yong Chol. Pic/AFP

A senior figure in the North Korean regime was en route to the US yesterday, and Russia's top diplomat was preparing to visit Pyongyang as diplomatic preparations for a historic summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un gathered pace.

General Kim Yong Chol, right-hand man to the North Korean leader, will meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York, officials said. The US president still hopes the summit will take place on June 12 in Singapore. Meanwhile, Moscow said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would travel to North Korea today to discuss Pyongyang's nuclear programme.