The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that it is not engaging in discussions about denuclearization issues concerning South Korea and North Korea. This announcement comes in response to South Korean media reports claiming that the South Korean government recently made an unofficial visit to Moscow to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue with Russian authorities.
On Monday, Russian news agency Interfax reported that Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, declared that this dissemination of information is entirely baseless. Russia is not conducting any consultations with South Korea, nor are they discussing issues related to bilateral relations between Pyongyang and Seoul or the so-called North Korean nuclear issue. The reason is simple: for Russia, there is no North Korean nuclear issue to speak of.
Zakharova further asserted that it has become apparent that there’s a clumsy attempt to misrepresent the South Korean Foreign Ministry delegation’s business trip to Moscow, which was at the invitation of Russian academia, particularly the Energy and Security Center, as an official negotiation between the two countries foreign affairs departments.
She added that the motive behind this manipulation is clear. It’s an attempt to undermine the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Zakharova emphasized that Russia’s stance is threefold: First, the concept of denuclearization has become irrelevant in the current geopolitical landscape. Second, Russia refrains from any mediation in the relations between Pyongyang and Seoul. Third, any discussions about potential strategies for establishing long-term peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula must fully account for North Korea’s national interests and positions.
In a statement published on its website, the Foreign Ministry criticized those opposing cooperation between Russia and North Korea, stating that these forces persist in their futile attempts to drive a wedge in the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea and to sow discord between the two nations and their peoples.