Russian, North Korean diplomats discuss situation on Korean Peninsula

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. The situation on the Korean Peninsula was in focus of a meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and North Korea’s Ambassador to Moscow Kim Hyung Jun, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday. "The sides exchanged view on the current issues of the bilateral agenda and on the situation on the Korean Peninsula," the ministry said. A new round of tension around North Korea spiraled in late November after Pyongyang conducted a missile launch after a 2.5-month pause. According to North Korea’s KCNA news agency, a Hwasong-15 new-type missile covered a distance of 950 kilometers in a span of 53 minutes rising to an altitude of 4,475 kilometers. According to Japan’s defense ministry, the missile fell down some 250 kilometers of the northern Aomori Prefecture. On December 4, South Korea’s and the United States’ air forces launched the biggest-ever joint drills Vigilant Ace 18 on the Korean Peninsula. In response, the North Korean foreign ministry condemned these drills saying that the United States’ campaign on demonizing North Korea was a step towards warfare while North Korea was pursuing "a legitimate and fair goal through reinforcing its nuclear means of deterrence." Read more