SINGAPORE - North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho arrived in Singapore on Friday (Aug 3) for an annual Asean forum.

According to Yonhap news agency, Mr Ri flew from Beijing on an Air China plane.

He was seen leaving his hotel Sofitel Singapore City Centre in Tanjong Pagar at 12.40pm but did not take any questions from reporters, who have been waiting there since morning.

Mr Ri is slated to attend the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) on Saturday and is also expected to meet bilaterally with some of his foreign counterparts on the sidelines.

The Straits Times understands that he is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday.

South Korea's top diplomat Kang Kyung-wha, who is also in Singapore for the meetings, has offered to hold bilateral talks with Mr Ri, but no schedule has been announced yet.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is scheduled to arrive later on Friday.

Mr Pompeo's aides have been non-committal about the possibility of his separate meeting with Mr Ri.

The ARF is a gathering of more than two dozen top diplomats to address challenges in the region and other issues.