Australian Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, stated on Tuesday that a security agreement between Russia and North Korea was destabilising the region. She added that North Korea was supplying weapons to Russia in clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Wong made these remarks to journalists in Paju, following her visit to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas, which remain technically at war.
“We observe that Russia is acting in ways that escalate tensions rather than promote peace,” she said, referencing the security agreement signed in June between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As part of this agreement, North Korea and Russia pledged to provide immediate military support to each other in the event of armed aggression.
The United States and its allies are also concerned about the growing military ties between Russia and North Korea, accusing both countries of violating international laws by exchanging weapons for Russia’s use in the conflict with Ukraine.
Both Pyongyang and Moscow have denied any arms transactions.
“The ongoing transfer of weapons from North Korea to Russia blatantly breaches U.N. Security Council resolutions,” Wong told the press.
Later on Tuesday, Wong is set to meet with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul to discuss issues including North Korea and bilateral cooperation for regional stability.
Wong arrived in Seoul after participating in summits in Laos with the ASEAN bloc and attending a Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in Tokyo with her counterparts from the United States, Japan, and India on Monday.
In a statement released before her trip, Wong said that Australia and South Korea aim to enhance their strategic alignment through expanded bilateral and regional cooperation, focusing on energy transition and economic security.
Nancy Mbamalu
Source: Reuters
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