Russia's ambassador to South Korea summoned: ``Claims of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea are groundless speculations'' = South Korea

On the 19th, Russia's ambassador to South Korea, Andrei Couric, was summoned to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and claimed, ``Claims about military cooperation between Russia and North Korea are baseless speculation.''
The Russian Embassy in South Korea posted on Facebook, ``During the meeting between Ambassador Couric and South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Jang Ho-jin on the 19th, the South Korean side announced the meeting between Russia and North Korea on the 13th.
"We expressed concern about the issue of military and military equipment cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which has reportedly been discussed."
He continued, ``Russia is a good neighbor and long-term partner, North Korea.
"We continue to comply with all international obligations, including those relating to the development of mutually beneficial relations between the two countries." ``With regard to this matter, we are seriously concerned about the security of South Korea as well as the Korean Peninsula.
Remind the South Korean side that this threat originates from the extreme and unbalanced military activities being carried out by the United States and South Korea on the Korean Peninsula with the goal of ``suppressing North Korea by force.''
I think I'll do it," he added. The Russian embassy said: ``We would like to remind our South Korean partners that there is no basis for the speculative claims on this subject that have been amplified by the US and South Korean media.
We have made it clear that there is no such thing." On the afternoon of the 19th, Vice Minister Jang summoned Ambassador Couric to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the arms trade between Russia and North Korea following the visit of North Korean General Secretary Kim Jung Eun to Russia.
Conveying the South Korean government's strict stance on the issue of military cooperation, Russia strongly urged Russia to immediately suspend military cooperation with North Korea and comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Vice-Minister Chan also said, ``Russia is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council that adopted the sanctions resolution against North Korea and is one of the parties that led the creation of the international non-proliferation regime.
"We must act responsibly." Furthermore, ``Japan's government will cooperate with the international community to ensure that any act that violates United Nations Security Council resolutions and seriously threatens Japan's security will be met with a certain amount of compensation.''
"We will take strong measures to ensure that the two parties are together," he said, stressing, "Such an act would have a very negative impact on South Korea-Russia relations."