South Korea warns about military cooperation between Russia, North Korea

ISTANBUL

South Korea warned Pyongyang and Moscow on Thursday of consequences for violating UN Security Council resolutions through arms deals and military cooperation, according to media reports.

“North Korea and Russia will clearly pay the price if they are involved in any acts that pose a significant threat to our security by violating the UN Security Council resolutions," South Korean National Security Council (NSC) said in a statement, Yonhap News reported.

South Korean Foreign Ministry earlier Thursday cautioned that any possible weapons agreement between Pyongyang and Moscow would breach Security Council resolutions.

It came one day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Russia.

South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Lim Soo-suk said that Seoul plans to discuss response measures with the UN and other “friendly nations” if a potential military cooperation deal between Moscow and Pyongyang poses a serious threat to South Korea, according to Yonhap News.

“If there are actions that openly violate the United Nations Security Council resolutions and pose a significant threat to our security, we will strongly warn against them and consider response measures,” said Lim.

He added that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea would have a “very negative impact” on relations between Seoul and Moscow.

Putin said Wednesday that he had a “frank exchange of views” with Kim and the two countries have opportunities to develop military cooperation, despite UN sanctions.


"There are certain restrictions. Russia complies with all these restrictions. But there are things that we can talk about. And here, too, there are prospects. Under the current rules, we also have opportunities, which we see and discuss," Putin said after meeting Kim, who arrived in Russia for a two-day visit Tuesday aboard a special armored train.