VIDEO: Putin receives Kim outside Russia's modern space launch facility

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday greeted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un outside Russia's modern space launch site in the Far East, as he welcomed him before starting their most-anticipated summit.

However, according to reports, while the 39-year-old toured the space launch facility with his pal, his military in North Korea launched two ballistic missiles off its east coast.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday for discussions that the US believes would centre on enhancing defence cooperation.

At Vostochny Cosmodrome, a cutting-edge space launch site in the Amur area of Russia's Far East, Putin greeted Kim and shook his hand for around 40 seconds, saying, "I am glad to see you."

He added while giving his friend a tour of the facility: "This is our new cosmodrome."

In return for Putin's remarks, Kim thanked him for the invitation and the cordial welcome, talking through an interpreter.

The summit between the two leaders is significantly important and is being closely monitored by Washington and its allies because they are worried about a possible agreement on the exchange of weapons and defence technology.

Concerns about Kim Jong-Un considering the transfer of weapons and ammunition to Russia, which has depleted enormous stores in Ukraine, have been raised by US and South Korean officials. Moscow and Pyongyang, though, have denied having such plans.

Given North Korea's two failed attempts to launch spy satellites in the previous four months, it was significant that the meeting was held at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a representation of Russia's aspirations to become a space power.

In a footage released by the RIA news agency, Kim and Putin are seen shaking hands grinning broadly, standing outside, surrounded by security personnel and Russian media representatives, before walking together into a gleaming glass-walled building.

Television footage showed Putin giving Kim a tour of the facility.

The military of South Korea and the government of Japan said that North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast from a location close to the capital, Pyongyang, hours before the scheduled summit between the two friends.

Analysts noted that it was the first such launch by the North while Kim was away.

In his twelve years in leadership, Kim has only seven times left the nation, all of which were in 2018 and 2019. He twice briefly crossed the inter-Korean border as well.