Putin accepted an invitation to visit North Korea earlier this month after the two leaders held their first face-to-face summit in four years.
The talks in Russia have raised concern in the United States and elsewhere that Kim might be prepared to sell weapons to Moscow for its war in Ukraine, perhaps in exchange for technology that would further his military ambitions.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Korean, Japanese counterparts expressed “serious concern” over the discussion of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including possible arms trade.
Blinken, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa agreed to respond firmly to any acts that threaten regional security in violation of United Nations Security Council resolution in a brief meeting on Friday, the statement read.
