Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un attend a meeting at the Vostochny Сosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, in this September 2023 file photo. Reuters-Yonhap

A North Korean delegation will attend the St. Petersburg economic forum, Russia's annual gathering which President Vladimir Putin and the country's top business executives usually attend, the TASS news agency said on Thursday.

The forum will be held on June 5-8. TASS cited the North Korean Embassy in Moscow.

Russia and North Korea also plan to sign several documents on cooperation in agriculture, the TASS news agency said on Thursday, citing the North Korean embassy in Moscow.

Russia's agriculture minister on Wednesday discussed deepening ties with North Korea with one of Pyongyang's top agriculture officials.

North Korea has long grappled with food shortages, in part due to prolonged U.N. sanctions over its weapons programmes and seasonal natural disasters. (Reuters)