A top official in the Russian military stated last Friday that it plans to conduct a joint military exercise with North Korea this year, Voice of America reported.

Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valeriy Gerasimov said that the Russian defense ministry will seek to expand contacts with its counterparts in North Korea, Vietnam and Brazil, according to the report.

It also plans to conduct joint military exercises in which the armed forces of these countries would participate, he said in a board session of the Ministry of Defense on January 30, the report said.