A spokesman says the UN secretary-general had a brief meeting with the head of North Korea's parliament when both were in Moscow over the weekend.
Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, told reporters Monday that no details would be released from that meeting.
Ban is South Korean and that country's former foreign minister. His planned attendance at the Victory Day celebration in Moscow had raised questions of whether he would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who also had been invited.
But North Korea announced last week that senior statesman Kim Yong Nam would go to Moscow instead.
North and South Korea remain technically at war, since the Korean War ended in a tenuous cease-fire.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.