Maria Zakharova (RF MFA photo)
Risks of military escalation are increasing, noted the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova
Moscow, July 12 (TASS) ― Moscow advises Seoul to stop military "games" near the borders of the DPRK because these actions are increasing the risks of armed escalation on the Korean Peninsula, said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova during a briefing.
"Representatives of the south Korean leadership, without mincing words, publicly label Pyongyang as what they call 'world evil', thereby confirming the immutability of the course toward the liquidation of the north and the absorption of its territory. Attempts to implement these plans in practice are fraught with catastrophic consequences, including for south Korea itself," she said. "Therefore, our advice is: stop reckless military games, embark on the path of easing tensions, establishing mutual trust, which is a key condition for the peaceful settlement of problems of the Korean Peninsula."
"Unfortunately, there are no prospects for breaking the impasse in which the situation in the sub-region has found itself today. The risks of military escalation, on the contrary, are increasing," the diplomat added.
In early July, the ROK resumed live-fire exercises at ranges near the border with the DPRK after a six-year hiatus, which had been suspended as part of bilateral agreements to reduce tensions. In late June, the ROK, together with the US and Japan, also held the first "trilateral multi-space exercise" Freedom Edge in international waters south of the south Korean island of Jeju.
Source: tass,ru (2024.7.12) *google translate
On the resumption of live-fire exercises by the Republic of Korea in areas bordering the DPRK
In early July of this year, the armed forces of the Republic of Korea conducted live fire exercises in areas bordering the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for the first time in six years. These steps by Seoul were perceived by Pyongyang as a direct threat to national security, forcing it to take countermeasures of self-defense.
In its two years in power, the current Seoul administration has surpassed its predecessors in the level of escalation of military tensions and confrontation with the DPRK. Representatives of the South Korean leadership, without mincing words, publicly label Pyongyang as a “global evil,” thereby confirming the immutability of the course to liquidate the North and absorb its territory. Attempts to implement these plans in practice are fraught with catastrophic consequences, including for South Korea itself. Therefore, our advice is to stop reckless military games, embark on the path of easing tensions and establishing mutual trust, which are key conditions for a peaceful settlement of the problems of the Korean Peninsula.
Unfortunately, there are no prospects for breaking the impasse in which the situation in the subregion has found itself today. The risks of military escalation, on the contrary, are growing. An additional destabilizing factor has become the growing involvement of the NATO bloc in regional affairs. We have paid attention to the public statements of the South Korean leader addressed to Russia, which were made the day before during his participation in the anniversary summit of the North Atlantic Alliance in Washington. Recommending that we make a "choice" between Seoul and Pyongyang, South Korean President Yun Seok-yol announced the possibility of supplying lethal weapons to the Kyiv regime in the future in the event of the transfer of Russian military technology to North Korea.
In this regard, we would like to note the following. We deeply regret that Seoul's foreign policy uses NATO narratives, blackmail tactics and threats, which is categorically unacceptable in the diplomatic practice of sovereign states that respect each other. As for the advice to choose based on the principle of "who is not with us is against us", we would recommend that the South Korean leadership decide on priorities, what is more important for them: peace and stability on the peninsula, necessary for the prosperity and well-being of their own population, or pandering to the aspirations of the United States in maintaining its military dominance in the Asia-Pacific region at the expense of permanent confrontation between the South and North of Korea, fraught with a full-scale conflict.
As for the threat to revise Seoul's current line on Ukraine, Russian President V.V. Putin made this clear at a press conference following his visit to Vietnam. Such steps will not go unanswered by Russia.
Cite from Briefing by the official representative of the Russian MFA M.V. Zakharova, Moscow, July 12, 2024 *google translate