Japan Expresses “Serious Concern” Over Putin’s Military Pact With North Korea

Japan has expressed “serious concern” over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to rule out military and technical cooperation under a pact signed with North Korea during his visit to the isolated state, a government spokesperson stated on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Putin signed the strategic treaty during a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, which included a pledge for mutual aid if attacked.

Russia “does not rule out military-technical cooperation with the DPRK in connection with the treaty that was signed today,” Putin said, using North Korea’s official name.

Expressing concern over Putin’s statement, Japan’s top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a regular briefing that such cooperation “could be a direct violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in terms of its impact on the security environment surrounding our country and the region.”

“Japan is seriously concerned that President Putin did not rule out military-technical cooperation with North Korea,” he reiterated.

Putin also suggested that UN sanctions on North Korea should be reviewed—a suggestion that Hayashi made on Thursday and called unacceptable.

“Despite the will of the international community, Russia has procured arms and ammunition, including ballistic missiles, from North Korea and used them in Ukraine in clear violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” Hayashi said.

“The announcement (from Putin about reviewing UN sanctions on North Korea) is unacceptable,” he concluded.

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