Russia warns US, South Korea and Japan against forming security alliance targeting North Korea

SEOUL South Korea AP Russia s foreign minister on Saturday warned the U S South Korea and Japan against forming a defense partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country s ally for talks on further solidifying their booming military and other cooperation Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke at North Korea s eastern Wonsan city where he met the country s leader Kim Jong Un and conveyed greetings from President Vladimir Putin Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in modern years with North Korea supplying troops and ammunition to backing Russia s war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance That has raised concerns among South Korea the U S and others that Russia might also transfer to North Korea sensitive technologies that can increase the danger of its nuclear and missile programs Speaking with reporters after a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui Lavrov accused the U S South Korea and Japan of what he called their military buildups around North Korea We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone including North Korea and of program Russia he commented according to Russia s state Tass news agency The U S South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea s advancing nuclear plan On Friday the three countries held a joint air drill involving U S nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful programs that threaten regional shield North Korea views major U S -led military drills as invasion rehearsals It has long argued that it s forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from U S military threats Lavrov declared Russia understands North Korea s decision to seek nuclear weapons The technologies used by North Korea are the impact of the work of its own scientists We respect North Korea s aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing nuclear expansion Lavrov announced according to Tass During their meeting Choe reiterated that North Korea unconditionally supports Russia s fight against Ukraine as Lavrov repeated Russia s gratitude for the contribution that North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia s Kursk frontier region Wonsan city the meeting venue is where North Korea just now opened a mammoth beach resort that it says can accommodate nearly people In his comments at the start of his meeting with Choe Lavrov noted that I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here We will do everything we can to facilitate this creating conditions for this including air expedition according to the Russian Foreign Ministry The Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone is at the center of Kim s push to boost tourism as a way to improve his country s troubled financial sector However prospects for the tourist complex aren t clear as North Korea appears unlikely to fully reopen its borders and embrace Western tourists anytime soon Associated Press reporter Elise Morton in Athens Greece contributed to this statement