Russia’s defense chief Sergei Shoigu likely proposed trilateral military drills with China and North Korea during his visit to Pyongyang in late July, Seoul’s intelligence agency reportedly told lawmakers on Monday.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) shared its assessment with South Korea’s parliament just hours before international media reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong Un could visit Russia for a meeting with Vladimir Putin as early as this weekend, citing U.S. government sources.

“The NIS said that when Shoigu visited North Korea and held a meeting with Kim Jong Un, there was likely an official offer [from Moscow] about joint