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Seoul risks tarnishing relations with Moscow if it joins sanctions — senior official

Russia and North Korea signed a strategic partnership agreement during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang

MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. Russia will fully adhere to its joint defense treaty with North Korea, while relations with South Korea will deteriorate as it joins sanctions, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on his English-language social media page.

"Seoul is fussing about the new Russia-DPRK Treaty. We’ll strictly fulfill it, including the articles on mutual security. But the relationship with South Korea will deteriorate further, considering their mindless joining the anti-Russian sanctions," Medvedev wrote.

Russia and North Korea signed a strategic partnership agreement during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang. The document envisages joint defense in case of aggression by a third country.

South Korea expressed concern over the agreement and even said it might reconsider refusing direct arms deliveries to Ukraine. Putin noted that if Seoul was not planning aggression against Pyongyang, it had nothing to fear, and called possible arms deliveries to Kiev a mistake that Moscow would have to respond to.