South Korea Regrets Russian Accusations of Destabilizing the Korean Peninsula
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Seoul, Dec 19 (NationPress) South Korea expressed regret on Thursday after Russia accused it of "destabilizing" the Korean Peninsula by leveraging North Korea's provocations as an excuse for the brief declaration of martial law.
Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, stated in a briefing on Wednesday (local time) that South Korea frequently engages in provocations to attribute blame to Pyongyang, asserting that the South Korean government is responsible for destabilizing the region, as reported by Russian media.
Her statements were made in response to inquiries regarding media speculation that President Yoon Suk Yeol and his allies sought to provoke a conflict with the North to rationalize the martial law, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
"It is inappropriate for a spokesperson of a foreign government to publicly make claims that not only misrepresent the facts but also undermine our consistent policies by using the domestic political situation as an excuse," a South Korean foreign ministry official told reporters.
"It’s evident who has been worsening the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the region," the official stated, urging both Russia and North Korea to stop shifting responsibility for their unjust and unlawful actions.
"We call for an immediate cessation of their military cooperation that threatens peace and stability in Northeast Asia and Europe," the official added.
Meanwhile, North Korea justified its military partnership with Russia as a legitimate response to threats from the US, but did not address its troop deployment to Russia in support of Moscow's military actions in Ukraine or the casualties suffered by their soldiers during the conflict.
"The hostile actions of the US and its allied forces represent a serious threat that undermines the foundation of international peace and security, extending beyond politically motivated provocations that infringe upon the sovereignty of independent states," remarked a spokesperson from North Korea's foreign ministry.
