On the afternoon of the 3rd, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeong Byeong-won invited Russian Ambassador to Korea Georgi Zinoviev to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sternly protested against the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s comments regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol’s recent remarks.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on this day, “Vice Minister Jeong emphasized that it is very regrettable that the Russian side ignored the truth and unconditionally protected North Korea and criticized the remarks of the leader of the country in extremely rude language, and that this will only worsen Korea-Russia relations.” revealed.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Ambassador Zinoviev listened carefully to our government’s position and said he would immediately report this to his home government.
Previously, at the 57th Central Unified Defense Conference on the 31st of last month, President Yoon said, “The North Korean regime is the only irrational group in the world that has legislated the preemptive use of nuclear weapons. “They are showing behavior that runs counter to anti-national and anti-unification history,” he said.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mariya Zakharova commented on this and claimed, “President Yoon’s remarks are biased,” and “This is an attempt to conceal (South Korea’s) aggressive plans against North Korea.”
He criticized, “(The remarks) are especially repugnant at a time when tensions and conflicts are increasing on the Korean Peninsula and its surroundings due to the brazen policies of the United States and its allies, including South Korea and Japan.”
In relation to this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that day, “Spokesperson Zakharova’s remarks are rude, ignorant, and biased, below the standard for remarks by a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of a country.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued, “These remarks ignore the clear and objective reality that North Korea’s threatening rhetoric and continuous armed provocations are increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region,” adding, “It does not meet the standards of a country that faithfully adheres to the norms of the international community.” “In light of this, it is disgusting sophistry,” he pointed out.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also added, “For the Russian leader to refer to the invasion of Ukraine, which is a clear violation of international law, as a special military operation, is nothing more than a far-fetched attempt to mislead the international community.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.