Leaders of South Korea, Russia to discuss North Korean nukes

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of – South Korea’s president will visit Russia next month to attend an economic forum and discuss North Korea’s nuclear program with President Vladimir Putin, her office said Wednesday.

President Park Geun-hye will visit Vladivostok in Russia’s far east to attend the forum in early September and also use the visit to meet with Putin to discuss North Korea’s nuclear development and other issues, the presidential Blue House said.

Russia and South Korea are both members of long-stalled six-nation talks on ending the North’s nuclear program. North Korea in 2009 walked away from the negotiations, which also involved the United States, Japan and China.

South Korea and the U.S. have recently announced plans to deploy a high-tech U.S. missile defence system in the South to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats. But Russia and China oppose the system, saying it could help the U.S. monitor their own missiles.

An official from Park’s office who asked not to be identified, citing office rules, said he couldn’t confirm whether the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, missile system will be discussed in the meeting between Park and Putin, expected to be held on Sept. 3.