Seoul, Sep 4 (EFE).- Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu proposed joint naval drills between Russia, North Korea and China during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in July, the head of the South Korean intelligence agency claimed on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The director of Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), Kim Kyou-hyun, made the claim during a closed-door parliamentary briefing on Monday, according to ruling party lawmaker Yoo Sang-bum, who revealed the exchange during a subsequent press conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shoigu had visited North Korea between Jul. 25-27 to attend the celebrations to mark 70 years of the end of Korean War (1950-1953).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the visit, Moscow’s defense chief held two one-on-one meetings with Kim, apart from visiting an arms exhibition in Pyongyang and attending a grand military parade in the North Korean capital to mark the 70th anniversary of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the denuclearization dialog between Pyongyang and Washington failed in 2019, the North Korean regime has intensified efforts to boost ties with Moscow at a time when the world is increasingly polarized due to the Ukraine War, even as Washington seeks a common front in the region with Seoul and Tokyo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to Pyongyang launching two cruise missiles last week – which the regime dubbed as a rehearsal for a “tactical nuclear attack” as the projectiles detonated over a simulated target – the head of South Korean intelligence said on Monday that only one of the missiles had functioned successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also told lawmakers that the regime had apparently ordered “anti-state” actors within South Korea to join protests against Japan releasing radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. EFE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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