N. Korean leader has photo session with paramilitary parade participants

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has had a photo session with participants of a paramilitary parade to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the country's founding, state media said Monday, amid speculation about his possible trip to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin.

In the photo shoot session held Sunday, Kim called the parade a "powerful demonstration of the invincible spirit of socialist Korea" in a march to "achieve the great cause of building a powerful nation," according to the Korean Central News Agency.

North Korea held a paramilitary parade Saturday to mark its 75th founding anniversary, led by the Worker-Peasant Red Guards, a civil defense organization, not by regular troops.

Speculation has been rising that Kim may travel to Russia's Far Eastern city of Vladivostok this week for talks with Putin on the sidelines of an economic forum to discuss possible arms supplies to Moscow.

North Korea's state media remain silent about Kim's possible trip, with some media reports speculating that the North's leader might have left for Russia on Sunday aboard his special train. Japanese broadcaster NHK reported Sunday that Kim's train may depart for Russia the next day, citing a Russian official in Primorsky Krai. (Yonhap)