Russia's Foreign Ministry demanded that Korea stop pressure and sanctions on North Korea.
On the 25th (local time), Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement with this message after Vice Minister Andrei Rudenko met with Ambassador to Russia Lee Seok-bae.
In the statement, the ministry said it conveyed to Korea that "the confrontational military activities by Korea and the United States continuing in the border area with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula and across the region."
It also said it urged Korea to "abandon its policy of pressure and sanctions on North Korea and show its commitment to peace through concrete actions, not words."
In addition, Russia's Foreign Ministry added that it expressed regret over the Korean government's alignment with Western sanctions against Russia, including those by the European Union (EU). It argued, "Although the Korean leadership has said it wants to normalize relations with Moscow, its actual actions do not match that."
Rudenko, the Vice Minister, also said in an interview with TASS in March, "The current Korean government's rhetoric toward Russia is quite different from that of previous governments," while adding, "Expressions of goodwill are meaningful only when followed by concrete actions."
He went on to note, "Despite the potential for normalization of trade and economic relations, there are no tangible moves by the Korean government."