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Pyongyang’s missile launch not to affect interaction between Russian, North Korean MPs

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Thursday for the first time since March 29 last year

MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. Pyongyang’s latest launch of two ballistic missiles will not affect interaction between parliamentarians of Russia and North Korea and both countries may exchange delegations in autumn, Head of the Federation Council’s Group for Cooperation with the North Korean Parliament Oleg Melnichenko told TASS on Thursday.

"How can this affect both parliaments’ friendship? We cooperate with the parliamentarians and that is why I do not think that these events will somehow affect our interaction with colleagues-parliamentarians from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea," Melnichenko explained.

In case that coronavirus pandemic restrictions in Russia and North Korea are lifted or eased, the parliaments of both countries may exchange delegations in the autumn of 2021, he said.

Melnichenko earlier said that the Federation Council’s group for cooperation with the North Korean parliament planned to hold a meeting with North Korea’s Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol on April 26 to discuss a possible visit by senators to Pyongyang in the autumn of this year.

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Thursday for the first time since March 29 last year. The test-launches were registered by Japan’s Coast Guard and confirmed by the South Korean and US militaries.

According to the data of Japan’s Defense Ministry, the two missiles flew to a range of about 450 km, climbing to the highest flight point of less than 100 km. They fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Meanwhile, the South Korean military reported that the missiles had climbed to the highest point of 60 km and flown to a range of about 430 km.

The UN Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea to hold any launches and tests related to ballistic missile technologies.