MOSCOW (REUTERS) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that he wants to maintain high-level contacts with Russia, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Tuesday (June 19), Ria Novosti news agency reported.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier this month that Russia had invited Mr Kim to visit the country and that he might come as part of an economic forum held in the far eastern city of Vladivostok in September.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited North Korea last month.