Russia talks of 'further engagement' with North Korea, South Korea concerned over potential arms deal

On September 22, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow wants to further develop cooperation with Pyongyang.

Nga muốn phát triển hợp tác với Triều Tiên, Hàn Quốc quan ngại về thỏa thuận vũ khí tiềm tàng Nga-Triều

Following the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Russia last week, countries are concerned about the possibility of closer military cooperation between the two countries in the coming time. (Source: Euro News)

The ministry affirmed that Russia “intends to develop cooperation with North Korea, including the exchange of high-level delegations.”

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, within the framework of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week, the foreign ministers of the two sides agreed to meet in the near future and high-level contacts could take place in October.

Earlier the same day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), during a political meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, leader Kim Jong Un took the next steps after his recent visit to Russia.

On September 20, Kim Jong Un informed the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the country's Communist Party about his trip to Moscow and the participants to study ways to "practically and comprehensively" implement the results of the visit, as well as "constructive" long-term measures to develop relations with Russia.

“Kim Jong Un stressed the need to strengthen contact and close cooperation between the two countries to expand and develop comprehensive cooperation in all areas,” the source said.

In particular, Mr. Kim Jong Un's visit to Russia is said to have brought the bilateral relationship "to a new strategic level to meet the needs of the new era and bring about fundamental changes in the world's geopolitical situation."

In another development on the same day, South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho met with US Ambassador to Seoul Philip Goldberg.

Kim Yung Ho expressed concern about a potential arms deal between Russia and North Korea and called for increased coordination between the US and South Korea amid the risk of instability in the region. The meeting followed a rare summit between the leaders of Russia and North Korea last week.

In addition, Minister Kim Yung Ho also commented on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying that it was "unprecedented" that a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council carried out a military campaign against a neighboring country.

“North Korea is taking advantage of this opportunity and providing weapons to Russia. That is why to protect the rule of law and world peace, the United States and South Korea must cooperate,” he said.

Ambassador Goldberg, for his part, was also concerned about the potential Russia-North Korea deal, noting that “all members of the Security Council are responsible for enforcing existing sanctions, and any exchange of arms and ammunition in any form would be a violation of those commitments.”

According to Mr. Goldberg, the US is still ready to engage in dialogue without preconditions with North Korea, aiming to move towards a denuclearized future on the peninsula.

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