Seoul: Senior officials from South Korea and the United States have held an important phone call ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea. South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kim Hong-kyun, said in a phone call with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell that Putin's visit should not result in deeper military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Putin's visit was expected

Echoing Kim's concerns, Campbell pledged continued cooperation to deal with potential regional instability and challenges caused by the visit. A senior official at Seoul's presidential office said on Wednesday that Putin is expected to visit North

Preparations underway to welcome Putin in Pyongyang

Civilian planes have been removed from Pyongyang's airport and there are signs of preparations for a possible parade in the capital's Kim Il Sung Square. When Russia's then-Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang last year to improve ties between the two countries, he accompanied Kim to a parade and saluted North Korea's banned nuclear-tipped missiles.

For the first time in seven years, the US recently sent B-1B bombers to the Korean peninsula for its bombing training in South Korea. All these planes were long-range. After this, the South Korean Defense Ministry said in a statement that the US B-1B bomber planes have conducted joint air exercises with other US and South Korean fighter planes. The special thing about the B-1B plane is that it can fly up to 9400 kilometers at a time.