North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is returning to his homeland after talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and visiting the east Siberian republic of Buryatia, a government spokesman for the republic said on Wednesday.

Kim, who is traveling in his own armored train, arrived on Tuesday in Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia.

"The main purpose [of the visit] was to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev [in Buryatia]," the spokesman said. The meeting was held on Wednesday in the military town of Sosnovy Bor.

One of the main results after negotiations was the start of cooperation in the gas industry. Medvedev and Kim gave instructions to create a special commission that would determine the specific parameters of the bilateral cooperation on gas transit through the territory of North Korea.

Kim thanked Medvedev for the humanitarian aid that Russia is providing to North Korea and invited the Russian president to North Korea.