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Russia denies reports of talks with South Korea on North's nuclear program

Published: 22 Dec. 2025, 19:08

A video is screened at a welcoming ceremony in Pyongyang for the 528th Regiment of Engineers returning from overseas operations on Dec. 12, in this photo released by the Rodong Sinmun on Dec. 13. [RODONG SINMUN]

Russia on Sunday denied South Korean media reports that its Foreign Ministry had held official talks with South Korean counterparts on North Korea’s nuclear program, calling the claims misinformation aimed at undermining Moscow’s strategic partnership with Pyongyang.

The denial comes amid continued silence from both sides about a recent closed-door meeting between South Korean and Russian officials in Moscow, which neither side has confirmed.

Analysts say both sides are wary of overinterpreting such contacts due to sensitivities surrounding North Korea, even as the two countries expand diplomatic engagement ahead of a possible end to the war in Ukraine.

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, rejected the reports in comments published on the ministry's website.

“This misinformation has no grounds whatsoever. Russia is not holding any sort of consultations with South Korea,” she said. “We are not discussing topics related to the bilateral relation between Pyongyang and Seoul, let alone ‘the DPRK’s nuclear problem’ because no such problem exists for Russia.” The DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Her remarks appeared to deny reports that a South Korean government official had discussed North Korea and other issues during a closed-door meeting with Oleg Burmistrov, Russia’s special envoy for North Korean nuclear affairs.

Zakharova said neither the Foreign Ministry nor the Russian government had appointed representatives to handle issues related to North Korea’s nuclear program.

“[It] is an awkward attempt to present a working trip by a South Korean Foreign Ministry delegation to Moscow, at the invitation of the Russian academic community — in particular, the Centre for Energy and Security — as some sort of official talks between the Russian and South Korean foreign ministries,” she said.

“Obviously, the purpose of this misinformation is to damage the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” she said.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, in New York on Sept. 26. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

South Korea has also not publicly confirmed whether the meeting took place. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday that Seoul remained cautious in its dealings with Moscow but continued to maintain necessary communication channels.

“Russia has continued the war in Ukraine for five years and is under international sanctions, so engaging in dialogue requires great caution,” Cho said in an interview with a local media outlet. “At the same time, we are maintaining channels of communication necessary for our tangible national interests, including corporate activities and the protection of our citizens.”

Seoul weighs postwar relations

Analysts say Seoul is preparing for possible shifts in South Korea—Russia relations after the end of the war in Ukraine, while seeking to counter deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.

North Korea has supplied troops and other support to Russia in the war, which South Korea views as Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Lee Jae Myung has said since taking office that South Korea would pursue pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests through the early improvement of relations with Russia, where companies like Hyundai have interests.

South Korean officials also believe North Korea may seek transfers of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and nuclear-propelled submarine technology from Russia in exchange for deploying troops in the war.

“We are closely watching to ensure that North Korea does not receive, as the price for its troop deployments, technology related to areas where it is relatively weaker, including air power, satellites and ICBMs,” a South Korean government source said.

Soldiers march during a welcoming ceremony for the 528th Regiment of Engineers returning from overseas operations in Pyongyang on Dec. 12, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 13. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

Some analysts say Seoul also hopes Russia could provide a narrow channel for restarting dialogue with Pyongyang, given Moscow’s growing influence over North Korea, making both sides sensitive to public disclosure of preliminary contacts.

Russia, which remains at odds with most European countries over the war in Ukraine, has taken a relatively more accommodating stance toward South Korea. Analysts say Moscow may see value in keeping channels open with Seoul as the war approaches a potential end.

Still, Russia has made clear it has no intention of engaging in talks premised on North Korea’s denuclearization or acting as a mediator between the two Koreas.

“The so-called de-nuclearisation has lost any sense in the new geopolitical realities,” Zakharova said Sunday. “The Russian side rules out mediation between Pyongyang and Seoul.”

Zakharova’s remarks reflect Moscow’s position after President Vladimir Putin effectively recognized North Korea as a de facto nuclear power.

Analysts say Russia’s deepening ties with North Korea, which have evolved into what North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has described as one "forged at the cost of [ …] precious blood,” have also shaped Moscow’s stance.

Kim on Dec. 12 publicly mentioned casualty figures at a ceremony welcoming engineering units that had been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, a move analysts said signaled Pyongyang’s intention to continue sending troops to support Russia’s war effort.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un greets members of the 528th Regiment of Engineers returning from overseas operations at a welcoming ceremony in Pyongyang on Dec. 12 in this photo released by Rodong Sinmun on Dec. 13. [RODONG SINMUN]

Lee Byong-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the recent meeting between Russian and South Korean officials appeared to have gone no further than an exchange of positions on North Korea.

“The meeting likely stopped at confirming each side’s stance regarding North Korea,” Lee said. “Russia has effectively signaled that it will respond passively to proposals from the South Korean side. South Korea needs to adjust the pace and move toward improving relations while taking into account the ongoing sanctions on both North Korea and Russia.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]