US state secretary raises concerns over Russia-North Korea technology transfer

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Russia plans to transfer its advanced space and satellite technology to North Korea in return for North Korea supplying weapons and other equipment to Moscow to support its war in Ukraine.

Blinken made these comments following discussions with South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in Seoul, expressing concerns over the matter for the United States and its key allies, including South Korea and Japan, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"We have reasons to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technology to Pyongyang," Blinken said in a joint press conference. "Putin may be close to reversing a decadeslong policy by accepting DPRK's nuclear weapons program," he said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"That concern is very much a focus, not only for the United States, but also Korea and Japan," he added.

In response to the political unrest in South Korea following President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law and his subsequent impeachment, Blinken reiterated Washington's "full confidence" in South Korea's ability to uphold its democracy.

"We reaffirm our unwavering support for the Korean people as they work tirelessly to uphold those institutions," Blinken said. 

"We trust that Republic of Korea, as a leading global democracy, will proceed in full accordance with its Constitution and rule of law," he said. 

Blinken was on a three-country tour this week, with scheduled visits to Japan and France. This trip is widely anticipated to be his final overseas journey as the top US diplomat in the Biden administration. 

On June 19, Russia and North Korea signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, which includes provisions for immediate military assistance in case of a defensive war. Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised that the new agreement should not be a cause for security concerns for South Korea. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that only potential aggressors could oppose the clause on military aid in case of a defensive conflict.

By Naila Huseynova