MOSCOW, January 18./TASS/. Pyongyang has made no moves as of yet that could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference on Monday reviewing Russia’s diplomacy in 2020.
"Many have paid attention to the military parade marking another anniversary in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, but generally no moves are being made that could in practice create a material basis for an escalation," Lavrov said.
"We go on a premise that the sides continue refraining from any abrupt practical moves on the military track that would lead to an escalation of tension around the Korean Peninsula. The sides don’t give up on the commitments they undertook," Lavrov went on to say.
"North and South Korea have confirmed their bid to comply with the agreements achieved by the leaders of the North and the South back in 2018," the top diplomat stressed.
He also noted that it is necessary to wait and see how the administration of President-elect Joe Biden would be building its policy on that track. "We are interested in seeing a lasting peace on the peninsula," he pointed out, reminding the journalists about the Russian-Chinese roadmap for the settlement on the Korean Peninsula.
Earlier, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that late on Thursday a military parade was held in Pyongyang marking the end of the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea. According to it, submarine-launched ballistic missiles were displayed at the parade, in particular. It also said that state-of-the-art tactical missiles and self-propelled artillery weapons had been shown.