South Korea voices concern over Russia-North Korea defence pact

South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a recent pact between Russia and North Korea.

As per Reuters, the meeting took place on Friday afternoon, June 21, with First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun conveying Seoul's concerns to Russian envoy Georgy Zinoviev.

Kim stated that Russia's military support for North Korea threatens South Korea's security and would harm relations between Seoul and Moscow.

He also urged Russia to "act responsibly."

Meanwhile, Zinoviev responded that cooperation between Russia and North Korea is not aimed at a third country.

While, South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the pact as a threat to regional peace and stability.

They agreed to monitor the situation closely and discussed responses to the summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

Cho noted that the pact, which includes mutual military assistance, violates U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Blinken reiterated U.S. support for South Korea against security threats and mentioned considering various responses to the pact.

In a separate call, Cho and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa also expressed concern over the Russia-North Korea agreement.

Moreover, South Korean National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin mentioned that Seoul might consider supplying weapons to Ukraine in response to the pact.

Following these developments, shares of South Korean ammunition manufacturer Poongsan Corporation rose by 3.42%, contrasting with a 0.83% drop in the main KOSPI index.