JAKARTA - The Kremlin said on Thursday that the closeness of Russia and North Korea was nothing to worry about and should not be opposed, because of the rights of the two countries to build good relations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, answering questions about Western concerns about Moscow's possibility of revising its policy against Pyongyang due to Western pressure on Russia over Ukraine, in particular, may transfer missile and nuclear technology to North Korea.
"North Korea is our neighbor, our friendly country and we are developing bilateral relations. We will continue to do it in a better direction," Peskov said.
"The potential for developing our relationship is very large. We believe our right to develop good relations with neighboring countries, there is no need to worry about it by anyone and cannot and should not be challenged by anyone," he said.
Meanwhile, Russia's Vedomosti newspaper reported on Monday that President Vladimir Putin would visit North Korea and Vietnam in the near future.
Meanwhile, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Thursday, citing a senior official at the presidential office, the visit of the Russian leader to North Korea is expected to take place in the coming days.
However, Peskov on Thursday declined to set a date or agenda for the possible visit.
Separately, signs North Korea is preparing for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit as early as this week have been confirmed at Pyongyang airport, with the planes completely cleared of the runway, according to a report on Wednesday based on satellite imagery, quoted by Kyodo News.
NK News, a website providing news and analysis of North Korea, said the planes' transfers were rare and usually attributed to the visit of a foreign leader, but it could be intended to "give room to President Putin's predecessor team."
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NK News also said recent asphalting and renovation work was detected at a Russian war monument as well as North Korea's Defense Ministry campus in Pyongyang, suggesting it was possible that President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would meet there.
A number of massive objects also appeared on Kim Il-sung Square, perhaps in preparation for the event to be attended by the two leaders, the website said based on satellite imagery.
Last year, leader Kim visited Russia in September, meeting with President Putin at the center of the Vostochny Cosmodrome space launch in Russia's Far East.
If this happens, Putin's visit to North Korea will be the first since July 2000, when the country is led by the late Kim Jong-il, leader Kim's father.
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