South Korea calls on Russia to 'dissuade' N.Korea from 'escalating tensions' in region

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Seoul Friday called on Moscow to “dissuade the North from escalating tensions" in the region over Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman's remarks that Pyongyang's military build-up is "fully justified."

A South Korean Foreign Ministry official called on Russia to “dissuade the North from escalating tensions and urge it to return to dialogue” if Moscow wants to “play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported, quoting the unnamed official.

"What undermines regional peace and stability is North Korea's illegal nuclear and missile development and provocations in violation of UN Security Council resolutions," the official said after Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's remarks on Thursday, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Zakharova said Thursday that Moscow “believes that Pyongyang's measures aimed at strengthening its own defense capabilities, countering external security threats and protecting its sovereignty are fully justified under the conditions of the current escalation," according to Russia's TASS news agency.

Zakharova’s remarks followed the announcement of the annual Freedom Shield exercise, a joint military drill between the US and South Korea, set to begin Monday.

Seoul described the joint drill as a "defensive measure."

Earlier in the day, North Korean state media had said Pyongyang would answer with the "toughest response" to next week's annual joint military drills between South Korea and the US.