Seoul warns Russia ‘rude’ remarks about Yoon’s North Korea policy would worsen ties

Yoon told a meeting on Wednesday of defence and security officials: “The North Korean regime is going through fire and water solely for the sake of maintaining its hereditary totalitarian regime, while blatantly ignoring international law and UN Security Council resolutions by trading arms with Russia.”

The next day, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Yoon’s remarks “blatantly biased”.

She told reporters the comments “look particularly odious”, given rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, “primarily due to the brazen policy of the United States and its allies, including [South] Korea and Japan”.

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The statement said Chung and Rudenko also discussed issues including Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Russia’s foreign ministry on Sunday said that “an exchange of views” had taken during Rudenko’s meetings in Seoul with Chung and other officials.

“The Russian side has expressed serious concerns regarding the sharp escalation of tensions in the subregion,” it said in a statement.

“It was clearly stated that its main source is the irresponsible provocative policy of Washington, which, for its own geopolitical purposes, is trying to encourage regional allies to implement their aggressive plans, fraught with unpredictable consequences, including in the military sphere.”