ISTANBUL

A Russian delegation reached North Korea on Monday, state media said on Tuesday, in the latest sign of growing relations between the two countries.

Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Russia's Primorsky Krai region bordering North Korea, leads the delegation.

Ji Kyong-su, North Korea's vice minister of external economic relations, welcomed the delegation at Pyongyang International Airport, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have grown following an official visit by Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Russia in September, when he met President Vladimir Putin.