South Korea summons Russian ambassador over Pyongyang defense pact

South Korea’s foreign ministry said it summoned Russia’s envoy in protest of a treaty made in Pyongyang this week, after a witness observed him enter the ministry office on Friday afternoon.

Kim Hong-kyun, Seoul’s first vice foreign minister, addressed Seoul’s position on the treaty and military cooperation between Russia and North Korea to Georgy Zinoviev, Russia’s top envoy to Seoul, according to the foreign ministry.

Kim informed Zinoviev that Russia’s military backing for North Korea endangers South Korea’s security and will certainly have a “negative impact” on relations between Seoul and Moscow.

He also called on Russia to “act responsibly,” according to the ministry.

The Russian Embassy in Seoul paraphrased Zinoviev as saying that intimidation of Russia is inadmissible.

Cho Tae-yul, South Korea’s foreign minister, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have both condemned the deal as a major threat to regional peace and security, according to a statement released by Seoul’s foreign ministry on Friday.

Cho said any cooperation to help strengthen North Korea’s military capabilities is a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, according to the statement.

The United States will consider various ways to respond to the threat to international peace and stability from Russia and North Korea, Blinken was quoted as saying by the ministry.

South Korean National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin said that Seoul would review the possibility of supplying weapons to Ukraine in response to the landmark pact.