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Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

South Korean foreign minister to visit Russia for talks on North Korea

The visit would be one of the measures to gain Russia’s support on the problem of the North Korean nuclear test

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se EPA/YANG JI-WOONG

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se

© EPA/YANG JI-WOONG

SEOUL, January 26. /TASS/. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se plans visiting Russia shortly for a discussion of the nuclear test, which North Korea held on January 6. He said it on Tuesday in an interview with Yonhap news agency.

He said he was considering a possible visit to Russia as early as possible "in order to solicit Moscow’s help."

TENSIONS ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA

Yun did not specify the date of the visit however saying it was one of the measures to gain Russia’s support on the problem of the North Korean nuclear test.

He added along with it that further progress of bilateral relations and a possible visit by the South Korean President, Park Geun-hye, would be one more point of discussions with Russian officials, should his trip to Russia take place. He said the South Koreans thought it was important to develop relations with Russia.

North Korean authorities said on January 6 they had successful tested a thermonuclear bomb. The country carried out three nuclear tests in the past - in 2006, 2009 and 2013, in the wake of which the UN Security Council the UN Security Council introduced sanctions against Pyongyang, while the US, Japan and South Korea imposed sanctions on bilateral basis.

Subsequently, the country did not have nuclear tests for three years, confining its responses to the large-scale South Korean-US wargames by launches of ballistic missiles.

South Korea, the US and Japan are making intense diplomatic efforts to get what their diplomats describe as a tough resolution of the UN Security Council spelling out more sanctions against North Korea.

"It's a matter between North Korea and the international community," Yun said. "By doing so, [we] can prevent North Korea's fifth and sixth nuclear test and maintain the authority of the UN Security Council."

Tags

Foreign policy North Korea South Korea Situation on the Korean Peninsula

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