South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said on Monday that Russia suggested conducting joint military exercises with China and North Korea.
According to Yonhap, NIS Director Kim Kyou-hyun told the parliamentary intelligence committee that Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu made the proposal during his recent visit to Pyongyang.
Shoygu traveled to North Korea in July, where he met the country's leader Kim Jong-un and Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam. At the time, Moscow said the visit is set to "contribute to the strengthening of Russian-North Korean military ties."