FALCON POWERS – According to the article, officials from South Korea and the United States warned on Friday that an upcoming potential visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea could strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, which would violate United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry stated that South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyeong told U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in an emergency phone call that Putin’s visit should not lead to further military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in violation of Security Council resolutions. Sherman, who shared Kim’s concerns, pledged to continue cooperating to address the potential destabilization in the region and challenges stemming from the visit.
The South Korean government said in a statement that while the two sides are closely monitoring the relevant developments, they agreed to respond firmly through close cooperation to North Korea’s provocations against South Korea and actions that lead to escalation of tensions in the region.
A senior official from the South Korean presidential office said on Wednesday that Putin is expected to visit North Korea “in the coming days.” Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported on Monday that Putin plans to visit North Korea and Vietnam in the coming weeks.
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from specifying a date or agenda for the potential visit, but said Russia’s right to strengthen relations with North Korea should not be a matter of doubt or a source of fear for anyone.
