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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Vladivostok, Russia, on Apr. 25.
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Russian president hints at intentions of playing role in North’s regime security guarantee
Following the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok on Apr. 25, the next question is why Putin made mention of resuming the Six-Party Talks, remarking that “North Korea needs to have a guarantee for maintaining its sovereignty and its national security.” “While I’m not sure whether the Six-Party Talks need to be immediately resumed right now, there will need to be an international guarantee if we reach the point where North Korea’s security must be guaranteed,” Putin said during a press conference held following the summit on Thursday. “If a guarantee from the US and South Korea alone is sufficient, that’s fine, but if not, the Six-Party Talks may be required to create an international security system for North Korea.” His remarks were interpreted as arguing that with North Korea requiring regime security guarantees in addition to sanctions relief as a corresponding measure for its denuclearization, a multilateral security system based on the Six-Party Talks – including Russian and Chinese participation alongside South Korea and the US – is necessary to achieve that. “While Putin may differ with the US on the areas of denuclearization and nuclear non-proliferation, he was stating that Russia plans to play a role alongside China in the regime security guarantees that North Korea wants, rather than having the US doing it on its own,” explained Choi Yong-hwan, director of the security strategy research office at the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS). “From Russia’s standpoint, it also indicates a commitment to expanding Russia’s role and influence in terms of denuclearization talks and the Korean Peninsula peace process, which so far have been centering around South and North Korea and the US,” Choi added. With his reference to “Six-Party Talks” on Apr. 25, Putin appeared to be focusing on the role of a multilateral security system in allaying Pyongyang’s security concerns. Russia has long shown an interest in multilateral security within the Six-Party Talks framework, serving as chair nation for a working group in connection with Northeast Asian multilateral security. In his New Year address this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared plans to “actively promote multi-party negotiations for replacing the current ceasefire on the Korean peninsula with a peace mechanism in close contact with the signatories to the armistice agreement.” Putin announced plans to discuss the results of the North Korea-Russia summit with Beijing while attending the Belt and Road Forum in China on Apr. 26–27 – a meeting that could serve as a platform for full-scale discussions by North Korea, China, and Russia on resuming the Six-Party Talks. By Park Min-hee, staff reporter Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
