Russia concerned by N.Korea's threat over S.Korean-U.S. drills

 

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday expressed its concern to North Korea's ambassador Kim Jong-Jae over the reclusive communist state's promise to use military force should its rival South Korea hold live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea.

Pyongyang warned Seoul earlier on Friday over the latter's plans to hold joint exercises with U.S. forces on Yeonpyeong Island on December 18-21. North Korea has dubbed the drills "madcap naval firing exercises," saying its response would be "deadlier" than the shelling in November that killed four people.

"North Korea was urged to display maximum restraint and not take any action capable of provoking further aggravation of the situation or a repetition of the November 23 incident," the Russian ministry said.

"It was specially stressed that all disputable issues between the two Korean states should be solved through resumed dialogue and exclusively by political and diplomatic means," it said.

Pyongyang does not recognize the sea border between the countries, known as the Northern Limit Line, which was drawn up by the United Nations at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

The drills will be observed by officials from the Military Armistice Commission of the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) to ensure that it is carried out in accordance with the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War, the JCS spokesman said.

South Korea has warned the North it will retaliate harshly if Pyongyang attacks the South's territory again.

MOSCOW, December 17 (RIA Novosti)

 

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