ROK, U.S. hold emergency phone call ahead of possible Putin visit to DPRK

Senior officials of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States held an emergency phone call over a possible impending visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Seoul's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The ROK's vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun in the phone call with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, said that Putin's visit should not result in deeper military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the ministry said.

Echoing Kim's concerns, Campbell pledged continued cooperation to tackle potential regional instability and challenges caused by the trip.

A senior official at Seoul's presidential office said on Wednesday that Putin was expected to visit the DPRK "in the coming days."

(Cover: File photo of flags of the ROK and the U.S. /Reuters)