SEOUL, – South Korea’s top diplomat warned Friday that Seoul will retaliate against Russia if Moscow transfers its missile technology to North Korea amid growing concerns over suspected expanding military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

Foreign Minister Park Jin said, “Yes,” when asked by a lawmaker during a parliamentary audit whether South Korea informed Russia that Seoul would not stand idly by and would retaliate if Russia transfers missile technology or weapons technology to North Korea. However, Park did not elaborate on what actions South Korea would take.

The United States said that Pyongyang sent more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Moscow, a revelation that followed the rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September.

Park’s remarks came a day after South Korea, the U.S. and Japan issued a joint statement strongly condemning the arms transaction that runs afoul of the U.N. Security Council resolutions, confirming some of the weapons deliveries as being completed.

Britain’s defense ministry also said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that it is “almost certain” the North Korean munitions have arrived in western Russia for use in its war in Ukraine.

Park declined to confirm the U.S. disclosure of the arms delivery, citing the sensitivity of the intelligence, but said there are “various suspicious circumstances.”

On China’s recent forced repatriation of North Korean defectors, Park said he delivered Seoul’s objection to the move to his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, through a diplomatic channel.

“We made it clear that North Korean defectors should not be forcibly sent back, and we relayed our concerns,” Park said, adding that North Korean defectors are a matter of international human rights.

Source: Yonhap News Agency