Pres. Office Warns Russia ‘Not to Cross Certain Line’ regarding Putin’s NK Trip

The presidential office said it has warned Russia “not to cross a certain line” regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected visit to North Korea around Tuesday this week.

Appearing on a local news program on Sunday, Director of National Security Chang Ho-jin said there is intelligence that Pyongyang and Moscow may seek broader cooperation and return to the past degree of bilateral military and security cooperation.

In his assessment of Putin’s planned North Korea trip, Chang said it is not because of an increase in the regime’s strategic value, but due to a situational interest surrounding the war in Ukraine.

 

Pledging to clearly respond in accordance with a thorough analysis of Putin’s visit, the top security aide said there is a need for Moscow to give much thought to relations with which of the two Koreas would be more important and necessary post-Ukraine war.

 

However he did not consider the latest situation to be formation of trilateral cooperation between the North, China and Russia, referring to Seoul’s upcoming strategic diplomatic and security dialogue with Beijing.