Russia has summoned South Korea’s envoy to protest what it called the “latest unfriendly step” by Seoul. The remarks were released by the Russian foreign after deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko summoned South Korean ambassador Lee Do-hoon on Friday to complain about South Korea’s sanctions on Moscow.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, South Korea had imposed sanctions on two Russian individuals and their companies involved in the illegal sending of North Korean IT workers overseas on Tuesday, as well as two Russian vessels involved in shipping containers of military supplies between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Meanwhile, Russia had last week vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution to extend a panel of experts that has reported on North Korea’s development of its nuclear arsenal for 15 years, underscoring the increasingly close ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
South Korea has attacked Russia for what it called an “irresponsible decision”, after Russia vetoed the extension of a UN panel overseeing the implementation of sanctions against North Korea on Thursday. A foreign ministry statement stated that South Korea “clearly points out that the Russian Federation, despite its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has made an irresponsible decision.”
Tensions between North and South Korea, especially after Kim Jong Un scrapped plans for “peaceful reunification” with the South earlier this year, overturning a long-held foreign policy. Kim has fired three ballistic missiles towards South Korea and Japan in the run-up to South Korea’s legislative elections are scheduled to be held on April 10. South Korea’s President Yoon has been suffering a credibility crisis in recent months and according to a Reuters report this may lead to a problem if he cannot manage a majority in Parliament. Most election observers are in agreement though according to Reuters that policy towards North Korea is likely to remain unchanged.
