South Korea warns Russia of retaliation if missile tech supplied to North Korea

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – South Korea on Friday warned Russia of retaliation if Moscow transfers its missile technology to North Korea.

Foreign Minister Park Jin confirmed Seoul's warning to Russia regarding missile or weapons technology transfer to North Korea during a parliamentary audit but didn't specify South Korea's response plans, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

The US reported that Pyongyang had shipped over 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Moscow after the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September.

In a joint declaration by the US State Department, the top diplomats of US, South Korea and Japan said they have confirmed some weapons deliveries from North Korea to Russia.

“Such weapons deliveries, several of which we now confirm have been completed, will significantly increase the human toll of Russia’s war of aggression,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin.

Park refrained from verifying the US disclosure regarding the arms delivery due to the sensitive nature of the intelligence, but mentioned the presence of "various suspicious circumstances."

"We made it clear that North Korean defectors should not be forcibly sent back, and we relayed our concerns," Park added.