VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived here Wednesday on a two-day visit for a regional economic forum that will also include a series of summit meetings with Russian and Japanese leaders.

Moon's itinerary will begin with a bilateral summit with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, according to the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

It will be followed by an expanded summit and luncheon involving some 15 other top government officials from each side.

Moon and Putin will later hold a joint press conference on the outcome of their talks, the second of their kind since the new South Korean president took office in May. The two earlier met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit held in Hamburg, Germany in July.
 

The Moon-Putin meeting was widely expected to focus on ways to rein in North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile technologies as it follows the communist state's sixth and possibly most powerful nuclear test so far that took place Sunday.

In their earlier conversation over the phone, the South Korean president underscored the need for the countries to take tougher measures against Pyongyang, including completely cutting off oil supplies to the reclusive North.

Putin stressed the need to resolve the security concerns created by the North's nuclear and missile tests diplomatically, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

North Korea has staged 14 missile tests since the beginning of the year, including nine that took place since the new South Korean leader came into office.

Moon is scheduled to hold a bilateral summit with his Mongolian counterpart Khaltmaagiin Battulga later in the day.

On Thursday, the South Korean leader will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for bilateral talks before attending the third Eastern Economic Forum, largely aimed at enhancing economic cooperation in the region that includes the Russian Far East.

Moon will return home later Thursday. (Yonhap)