Pyongyang: Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next week, Pyongyang's state media said Friday. Xi will "pay a state visit" to North Korea on June 8-9 at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, without providing further details.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this visit will mark Xi's first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years. Xi last traveled to Pyongyang on June 20-21, 2019, which was his first state visit to the reclusive North since taking office in late 2012. During that visit, he held summit talks with North Korean leader Kim.

The two leaders last met in September when Kim took a trip to Beijing for the 80th anniversary of China's Victory Day. On that occasion, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a military parade alongside Xi.