South Korea Urges Russia to Halt Military Cooperation with Pyongyang

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated today, Tuesday, that "Russia must immediately cease any efforts to expand military cooperation with North Korea, and it vowed to take strict measures." The ministry's statement noted that First Deputy Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin summoned the Russian ambassador to Seoul to urge Russia to immediately stop any movements to expand military cooperation with North Korea and to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions. Chang emphasized that "Russia needs to fulfill its role as a Security Council member in countering the threat of North Korean nuclear issues." He added, "We will coordinate with the international community to take strong action to ensure there are clear consequences, and that these actions will have a very negative impact on South Korea-Russia relations." This came after a summit held last week between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which raised concerns about a potential arms deal.