De-Escalation of Tensions Key to Solving North Korea’s Nuclear Problem

The North Korean nuclear issue can be settled only in a way that resolves political and military tensions throughout the region and also which guarantees the national security of Northeast Asian countries including North Korea, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said on Sunday.

“This would effectively negate Pyongyang’s need for possessing weapons of mass destruction,” Igor Morgulov said in an interview with Yonhap news agency.

“It is our firm conviction that such a model would effectively reflect the regional realities and would be fully in line with the international efforts to consolidate the nuclear nonproliferation regime. At the foundation of North Korea's choice of nuclear weapons were concerns over their own national security,” he added.

Igor Morgulov also said that Russia will not recognize North Korea as a nuclear power.

"It is never acceptable for Russia to effectively recognize North Korea's status as a nuclear possessing country. The recognition would be incompatible with Russia as one of the founding countries of the Non-Proliferation Treaty," he emphasized.

Igor Morgulov’s interview with Yonhap News Agency was  conducted on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Russia's diplomatic ties with South Korea this year.