Russia summoned the South Korean ambassador to protest Seoul’s sanctions over Moscow’s alleged arms trade with North Korea, deepening a spat between the two countries.
The government in Seoul on Tuesday last week blacklisted two Russian vessels that it said were transporting military supplies between Russia and North Korea. It also slapped punitive measures on two Russians and their companies that it accused of bringing IT workers from the communist state illegally to Russia to earn hard currency for Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko summoned South Korean Ambassador Lee Do-hoon on Friday to complain about the “latest unfriendly step,” the Russian ministry said. That came after Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova on Wednesday warned of unspecified retaliation as she accused the US of being behind South Korea’s actions.
Russia 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 growing ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
The US and its top allies in Asia accuse North Korea of providing munitions to help Russia with its invasion of Ukraine in exchange for military aid and other assistance. — Bloomberg
