WORLD LEADERS have been gathering in the South Korean capital Seoul to discuss ways of rebalancing the global economy.
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev took the opportunity to voice his concerns over North Korea’s nuclear programmes, saying they were creating tension in northeast Asia and Russia’s eastern region.
North Korea was formerly a tight ally of the Soviet Union, but the collapse of communism in what is now Russia meant that Pyongyang was forced to turn to China for support and it relies heavily on foreign aid to feed millions of its people.
"North Korea's nuclear ambition is creating political and military tension in northeast Asia and Russia's eastern region, which naturally makes us feel uneasy," Mr Medvedev said in an interview with South Korea's JoongAng Ilbonewspaper.
North Korea carried out two nuclear tests in 2006 and in 2009 in the country’s northeastern area, drawing international sanctions each time.
Mr Medvedev also noted that North Korea’s nuclear test site is located just 100km from Russia’s territory. The tests also took place close to China, but as North Korea’s last remaining ally in the world, the response from Beijing has been fairly muted.
Russia is one of the parties in six-nation disarmament talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear programme, alongside the US, both Koreas, Japan and China.
However, just before the second test, North Korea walked out of the talks and both Seoul and Washington insist that the North must first take specific moves to demonstrate its sincerity.
Mr Medvedev reaffirmed his country’s commitment to a diplomatic solution to end Pyongyang’s nuclear programmes. He met South Korean president Lee Myung-bak ahead of the two-day gathering of G20 leaders, which will also include US president Barack Obama and British prime minister David Cameron.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council was preparing to release a long-delayed report alleging that North Korea may have transferred ballistic missile and nuclear technology to Syria, Iran and Burma.
The 75-page report, the release of which has been blocked for six months by China, reinforces Washington’s claims that North Korea has emerged as a key supplier of banned weapons materials to Washington’s greatest rivals.
Last year the security council expanded UN sanctions against North Korea and revived a panel aimed at imposing sanctions and stopping North Korea from developing nuclear and ballistic missile technology. China supported the resolution, but has voiced concern privately over the public disclosure of highly sensitive findings.