Russia Proposes Joint Naval Exercises with North Korea and China

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Monday, citing South Korea's intelligence agency, that "Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu proposed to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that their countries, along with China, conduct joint naval exercises." It was reported by North Korean state media during the visit that they attended a defense exhibition featuring prohibited North Korean ballistic missiles. Yonhap noted that Shoigu presented Kim with the suggestion for the trilateral exercises during his visit, but did not provide details. It stated that "South Korea's National Intelligence Service informed the National Assembly that Shoigu apparently held a private meeting with Kim to agree on large-scale military expansion." Shoigu visited North Korea to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War in July and met with Kim.