South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned on Wednesday that his country and its allies “will not stand idly by” if North Korea receives Russian help to boost its weapons of mass destruction – just days after the leaders of the two nuclear-armed nations held a closely watched summit.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia last week for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
That has alarmed South Korea, a US treaty ally.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed Yoon’s call to reform the UN Security council during his address at the UNGA, and accused Russia of seeking weapons from North Korea.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the two leaders did not sign any agreements during their talks.
Still, the talks signaled closer relations between the two countries, both of which face international isolation – Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and North Korea for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program.
As the war drags on, Moscow is desperate for fresh supplies of ammunition – while North Korea ramps up its weapons testing program, eager to advance its nuclear ambitions. »
