Russia does not recognize the nuclear status of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as its missile program threatens the security in Northeast Asia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
During the press conference following a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), Putin reiterated Moscow's stance of opposing the DPRK's missile program, saying it extensively violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, undermines the global non-proliferation regime, and threatens security in Northeast Asia.
Meanwhile, the Russian president noted that hostility will not help solve the Korean Peninsula issue.
"Clearly, it is impossible to solve the Korean Peninsula issue by sanctions and pressure... There is no sense in giving in to emotions and pushing the DPRK into a corner," Putin said.
"Now more than ever, everyone needs to be calm and avoid steps that lead to an escalation of tension," he added.
Putin said Russia and China have come up with proposals on solving the issue under the framework of a joint "road map". Therefore, Moscow called upon all parties to take a closer look at the initiative which "offers a real way of reducing tensions and step-by-step settlement."
Moon also condemned the DPRK's missile tests, warning of bigger threat in the future.
"If we fail to top the DPRK's provocations, it could sink into an uncontrollable situation... I would like to seek a fundamental solution to resolving the nuclear problem," he said.
The South Korean president also said he and Putin had agreed on the urgency of easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
"Mr. Putin and I agreed that nuclear and missile tests are the wrong way, and that the urgent task is to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula," he said.
On Sunday, the DPRK successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb capable of being carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which was the sixth nuclear test by the country so far, further worsening the hair-trigger confrontation on the Korean Peninsula.
