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Seoul summons Russian ambassador amid rising tensions with Pyongyang

2024-06-21 18:10:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador on Friday in protest at the defense agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang, as tensions between the two Koreas have increased.

Earlier in the day, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a vague threat that Pyongyang would retaliate after South Korean activists released anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border. Seoul's military said its troops fired warning shots Thursday to repel North Korean soldiers who had crossed the border for the third time this month.

The developments come two days after Moscow and Pyongyang signed an agreement that includes, among other things, pledges to help each other in the event of an attack, and a day after Seoul reacted by warning that it is considering supplying weapons to Ukraine to defended against Russian aggression.

South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun summoned Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev to protest the agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and urged Moscow to immediately end military cooperation with Pyongyang. The Seoul diplomat noted that any form of cooperation that directly or indirectly helps North Korea to strengthen its military capabilities constitutes a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, poses a threat to South Korea's security and warned of consequences in relations between Seoul and Moscow.

According to an announcement on the Twitter network of the Russian embassy in Seoul, Russian Ambassador Zinoviev told South Korean officials that any attempt to " threaten or intimidate" Russia was unacceptable and that the agreement between his country and North Korea had no aim for no third country.

South Korea's ministry said the Russian ambassador vowed to convey Seoul's concerns to Moscow.

According to North Korea's state media, based on the agreement signed between Mr. Putin and Mr. Kim, the two countries commit to use all available means to provide each other with immediate military assistance in case of war./ VOA