And here's me with my Russian friend: North Korean leader Kim Jong Il enjoys a 'fun trip' across Siberia



Reclusive autocrat Kim Jong Il has enjoyed a 'fun trip' across Siberia in his armoured train on his way to talks in Russia.

The North Korean leader's expedition started on Saturday when his custom-built train rolled across sections of eastern Russia.

His itinerary has mostly been kept secret due to security fears but he has been pictured at a hydro-electric plant and also stopped off at Lake Baikal.



His motorcade stopped for a few hours at the picturesque village on the shores of the freshwater lake where the leader took a two-tour on a yacht.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il writes in a guest of honour book at Novobureisky station in Russia

Kim Jong-Il is greeted by women in traditional dress at Novobureisky Station, and leaving the train (right)



Cruising the waters, the 5ft 3in leader apparently remembered that his father had visited the same spot in july 1961.



The water in Baikal is ice-cold even in summertime, so Kim, 70, decided to take a swim onshore in a pool filled with Baikal water.



The speaker of Buryatia's legislature joined Kim in the swim, the Inform Polis Online website reported.



Kim said the lake is 'the pride of the Russian people and underscored the need to preserve it and surrounding natural environment well,' according to KCNA.



On shore, the North Korean leader was treated to traditional Buryat food, including meat dumplings and Baikal fish prepared over an open fire.



Later on Tuesday, Kim went back to Ulan-Ude to visit a major aircraft factory, which among other things produces Sukhoi attack planes, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported from the plant.

The North Korean leader looks at the view from the Bureiskaya hydro power station in Talakan

The reclusive autocrat is travelling in his armoured train for security reasons (above)

Kim is now in talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Wednesday, which are expected to focus on nuclear disarmament and economic aid.



The two have also struck a deal on the transit of Russian natural gas to South Korea.



The summit was taking place at a military garrison outside Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia, some 3,300 miles east of Moscow.



Kim arrived at the base in an armored Mercedes limousine and wore his trademark khaki leisure suit.

He thanked Medvedev for flying from the Black Sea port of Sochi to meet him.



'When it comes to meetings with our partners, neighbors, it's not that far,' Medvedev said.



'Thanks to your special attention and care, Mr. President, we're having a fun trip,' Kim replied through a translator.



He looked frail as he limped to a chair in a meeting hall. Kim reportedly suffered a stroke in 2008.



Kim is expected to start his return trip home 'immediately' after the talks, the Itar-Tass news agency said. It is his first visit to Russia since 2002.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the North Korean leader outside Ulan-Ude in Byryatia

Kim John Il sports a large pair of sunglasses as he and the Russian President take a walk

The Kremlin said the leaders would discuss how to quickly resume long-stalled six-nation talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear weapons program in return for aid.



After the talks ended, Medvedev said that Kim agreed to 'work out' a project to build a natural gas pipeline to South Korea, RIA Novosti news agency reported.



North Korea, long reluctant, has recently shown interest in the project, South Korea officials said. Seoul has expressed hope that negotiations on the project will make progress.



Also under discussion is an energy project that would involve the extension of power lines to make it possible for Russia to sell electricity from plants like the Bureya hydroelectric plant that Kim visited at the start of his trip.



Russia's Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak told reporters that Russia and North Korea may also discuss the regulation of Pyongyang's $11 billion Soviet-era debt to Moscow.



Kim's Russian trip comes as his country pushes to restart the aid-for-disarmament talks.



Seoul and Washington have demanded that the North first show its sincerity on fulfilling past nuclear commitments.



The Korean peninsula has seen more than a year of tension during which the North shelled a South Korean island and allegedly torpedoed a South Korean warship.



North Korea is pushing for outside aid ahead of an important national anniversary next year. Kim has promised his 24 million people that he will build a 'powerful, prosperous' nation to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the birth of his father and North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung.

