N.Korea's ceremonial head to attend World Cup opening

Pyongyang, June 9 (IANS) North Korea's ceremonial head of state will attend the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Russia on June 14, state media reported on Saturday.

Kim Yong-nam's visit would be the latest in a series of diplomatic overtures by the Pyongyang regime, reports Efe news.

"Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, will soon visit Russia to attend the opening ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup," reported KCNA, without providing further details.

The opening ceremony will be held at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, two days after a historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore.

The visit to Russia by the representative from North Korea, which is not participating in the World Cup, is most likely aimed at strengthening relations with Moscow.

Last month, the North Korean leader met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Pyongyang, reinforcing bilateral relations and which resulted in an invitation to Kim Jong-un to visit Russia.