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The South Korean government refuted the inevitable necessity of increasing the need for security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan regarding the remarks by the Russian ambassador to North Korea that North Korea could conduct a 7th nuclear test.
Lim, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing on the 13th, “We are very regretful of the attitude of shifting the responsibility for North Korea’s nuclear tests that threaten international peace and stability to South Korea and the U.S., and justifying North Korea’s nuclear development and provocations.”
Lim added, “North Korea has been continuing nuclear and missile development and provocations for the past 30 years,” and “They are currently legalizing nuclear attacks and not hesitating to threaten nuclear attacks against the same people.”
He also explained that “Our government’s firm stance on security is a natural measure to protect the lives and safety of our people from North Korea’s threats and provocations” and “The need for security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will only grow as military cooperation between Russia and North Korea continues.”
A foreign ministry official met with reporters on the same day and answered on related issues: “We are communicating with Russia through diplomatic channels.”
A Unification Ministry official also emphasized, “North Korea’s 7th nuclear test can never be justified under any circumstances or for any reason.”
Earlier, Alexander Matsegora, the Russian ambassador to North Korea, stated in an interview with Russian state-owned Sputnik News on the 10th (local time), “If the U.S.’s provocations continue, and if they become increasingly dangerous, I cannot rule out that the North Korean leadership will decide to conduct a nuclear test to strengthen their national defense capabilities.”
He added, “This is an undesirable scenario,” but “If such a thing happens, the responsibility will lie entirely with the U.S. and its allies.”
He also mentioned in an interview with Russian state-owned TASS on the 7th that if the U.S. continues provocative actions in the region, North Korea could decide to conduct additional nuclear tests. Despite international concerns, the close cooperation between North Korea and Russia continues, and it seems that the psychological warfare with the West, including South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, over the support for weapons in the Ukraine war will accelerate for the time being.
Some argue that this cooperation between North Korea and Russia is expanding into the economic field. The New York Times (NYT) reported that despite UN sanctions against North Korea, it allowed its financial institutions to withdraw $9 million from the frozen North Korean funds of $30 million. U.S. authorities predict that North Korea will spend this money on oil purchases.
Park Byung Hwan, director of the Eurasia Strategy Institute (former economic officer at the Korean Embassy to Russia), analyzed, “Putin’s visit to North Korea means that Russia’s policy on the Korean Peninsula has changed to equidistant diplomacy with North and South Korea,” and “Overly conscious of the U.S. in discussing the Korean Peninsula issue and in relations with Russia also played a role.”
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