Moscow 'respects' North Korea's actions in developing nuclear program

MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday that Moscow “respects” Pyongyang’s development of a nuclear weapons program and understands the rationale behind it, calling the move a deterrent against regional military threats.

Speaking during a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son-hui in the resort city of Wonsan, Lavrov said the program served defensive purposes.

“We respect their actions and understand the reasons behind their implementation of the nuclear program,” he said.

“The leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea made appropriate conclusions long before Israeli-American strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran. It was precisely because these conclusions were drawn in a timely manner that no one even contemplates using force against North Korea, despite military buildup around it involving the United States, South Korea, and Japan,” he said.

Lavrov credited the program’s progress to the work of North Korean scientists and engineers.

Situation on Korean Peninsula

Lavrov said the talks also focused on developments on the Korean Peninsula, warning that unresolved tensions were harming regional cooperation and stability.

“We agree that unresolved issues here negatively impact the overall situation in Northeast Asia and hinder prospects for equal, mutually beneficial cooperation among all regional states,” he said.

Commenting on the new leadership in South Korea, he said Moscow would judge it by its “actions, not statements,” and criticized continued military coordination with the US and Japan.

“These actions remain in the same state they were under the previous president and administration of South Korea. They involve developing a trilateral alliance among South Korea, Japan, and the US,” Lavrov said.

He also denounced South Korea-US-Japan military drills, saying they “often incorporate nuclear elements” and do not contribute to peace or stability in the region.

Ukrainian crisis

Lavrov said the two sides also discussed the war in Ukraine. He said North Korea reaffirmed its “full support for all objectives of the special military operation and the Russian leadership’s actions.”

“In turn, we reiterated our sincere gratitude for the Korean People’s Army (KPA) soldiers’ contribution to successfully liberating the Kursk region from Ukrainian Nazis and foreign mercenaries,” he said.

Asked about possible North Korean military involvement in other parts of Ukraine, Lavrov said any such move would be determined by Pyongyang under the terms of the countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.

He also announced plans to build memorials honoring KPA fighters who died during the Kursk operation and to commemorate historic Russian-North Korean military ties from World War II and the Great Patriotic War, a term used by Russia and former Soviet states to refer to the conflict from June 22, 1941 to May 9, 1945 that ended with Nazi Germany’s surrender during World War II.

Lavrov dismissed reports about a “Coalition of the Willing” planning to form multinational forces to protect Ukraine, calling the idea a “fantasy” meant to attract attention.

Possible Putin–Kim meeting

The Russian foreign minister praised the outcomes of the second round of strategic dialogue between Moscow and Pyongyang, saying both sides mapped out paths to strengthen cooperation across all bilateral and international fronts.

On a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Lavrov confirmed the two leaders remain in contact via various channels, including phone calls.

“They certainly will take place. When and where exactly, this will be coordinated between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea,” he said.

Lavrov acknowledged that COVID-related border restrictions between the two countries are still in place but expressed confidence they would soon be lifted.

“I’m certain these measures will gradually be lifted, and tourism will undoubtedly expand,” he said, highlighting Pyongyang’s interest in attracting more Russian visitors to Wonsan and other resort cities.