Russia 'in close contact' with Seoul after arresting South Korean on espionage charges

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of a South Korean citizen on espionage charges.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Zakharova said Moscow is "in close contact" with Seoul over the fate of Baek Won-soon, who was detained in the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok “at the start of the year.”

"At the request of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Moscow, the possibility of consular access to a detained citizen of the Republic of Korea, Baek Won-soon, is being worked out," she said.

She noted that given that Baek is suspected of spying, any additional information about the investigation is classified.

Commenting on the possible impact of the incident on Russian-South Korean relations, Zakharova said Seoul has taken quite a few steps that contradict the interests of the two countries and do not contribute to bilateral relations.

"Countries periodically go through difficult moments and periods. The question is to what extent these states are ready for a mutually respectful dialogue to discuss these issues. Everything depends on the countries' focus on an effective, mutually respectful solution. For our part, we always prioritize this approach," she said.

Baek is being held in Lefortovo Prison, where a court on Monday ordered his detention to be extended until June 15, the state news agency TASS reported.

The agency said Baek had passed on information “constituting state secrets to foreign intelligence services,” without elaborating further.

The incident marks the first known arrest of a South Korean in Russia on suspicion of espionage.