As officially confirmed by the South Korean Presidential Office on the 12th (local time), Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit North Korea soon.
While South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol condemned North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations during his Central Asia Tour including Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, the Presidential Office mentioned the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea as well as Putin’s visit to North Korea.
A high-ranking official from the Presidential Office stated during a press conference in Astana, “Putin’s visit to North Korea is imminent.”
The official said, “We will thoroughly consider the simultaneous diplomatic and security dialogues between South Korea and China, and Putin’s visit to North Korea,” adding, “We will continue our tour to ensure that our major neighboring countries and strategic partners can align with South Korea on the North Korean issue.”
Japanese media outlets also reported that Putin is preparing to visit North Korea next week, citing an anonymous Russian government official.
A high-ranking official from the Presidential Office explained, “We are still discussing North Korea’s nuclear issue in Central Asia,” adding, “We are also discussing the Ukraine war and the issue of illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.”
Meanwhile, South Korea and Kazakhstan agreed to cooperate on the complete denuclearization of North Korea through a joint statement.
The joint statement emphasized, “Both countries agreed that the complete denuclearization of North Korea will contribute to peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also throughout the world.” It also stated, “Both sides urged North Korea to halt any actions that threaten international peace and security and to comply with the obligations under the relevant UN Security Council
resolutions.”
In the joint statement, Kazakhstan expressed support for the South Korean government’s bold vision for a nuclear-free, peaceful, and prosperous Korean Peninsula, and supported a free and peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.
