Russian top diplomat's take on North's denuclearization 'irresponsible': Foreign Ministry

Korea's Foreign Ministry expressed "deep regret" over Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement where he said he views North Korean denuclearization as a "closed issue."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting in Pyongyang on Oct. 19, 2023. [YONHAP]

South Korea's Foreign Ministry expressed "deep regret" over Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement where he said he views North Korean denuclearization as a "closed issue."

"The Russian foreign minister's remark is extremely irresponsible, as it goes against Russia's responsibilities as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and as one of the key founding states of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) regime," the Korean Foreign Ministry said through a statement Monday.

The ministry further emphasized that Russia has obligations to uphold such international nonproliferation efforts and denounced Lavrov's stance as a clear departure from those responsibilities.

The ministry also pointed out that Russia previously supported Security Council resolutions, calling for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Given this, the ministry urged Russia to act responsibly as both a permanent member of the UNSC and as a leading nation in the nonproliferation regime.

"We have repeatedly made it clear that cooperation between North Korea and Russia must strictly adhere to UNSC resolutions and international law, without posing any threat to our national security," the official said. The ministry warned that South Korea, along with the international community, would respond firmly to any actions that endanger security and would consider taking appropriate countermeasures.

Lavrov, who has served as Russia's foreign minister for two decades since 2004, made his controversial remarks in an interview released through the Russian Foreign Ministry's website on Friday, reportedly stating that Russia "understands" North Korea’s principled stance that nuclear weapons and missiles are part of "self-defense measures."

Additionally, Lavrov criticized U.S. efforts to strengthen expanded nuclear deterrence measures for South Korea, as well as the enhanced security cooperation between South Korea, the United States and Japan.

He argued that such moves are a "very serious threat to regional security," adding that under the circumstances, "the term 'North Korean denuclearization' has lost all meaning, and for Russia, this issue is closed."

Despite previously supporting sanctions against North Korea as a permanent UNSC member and participant in the Six-Party Talks, Russia has grown increasingly close to Pyongyang since beginning its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have both visited each other's countries during this time.

Moscow has since offered support for Kim's regime and its nuclear development program, further straining diplomatic relations with South Korea and its allies.

On Friday, Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul delivered a keynote speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, where he denounced North Korea's military cooperation with Russia through which it has provided missiles and millions of ammunitions. He called Russia's engagement in an illegal arms trade with North Korea "deplorable" and criticized the country's veto on extending the mandate of the panel of experts on sanctions against North Korea in April.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]