US Intelligence Boss Reportedly To Meet South Korean President To Discuss North Korea-Russia Relations

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol / PHOTO Arlington National Cemetery via Wikimedia Commons

JAKARTA - United States (US) Intelligence Director Avril Haines will meet South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and agreements between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Haines will meet Yoon to discuss improving Russia-North Korea relations and Pyongyang's provocative actions, Joongang Ilbo's daily report, citing an unnamed national security official.

The meeting will not be official and there are no plans to publish their discussions, the official said.

Reported by Reuters on Thursday, June 27, Yoon's office said it could not confirm the report.

A spokesman for the office of the US National Intelligence Director (ODNI) declined to comment.

North Korea, which has nuclear weapons, said on Thursday it managed to test missiles that could deploy several warheads to strike different targets based on the goals set by Kim Jong Un to perfect a series of strategic and tactical weapons.

On his first visit to North Korea in 24 years, Russian President and Kim signed a joint defense pact, leaving officials in Seoul and Washington concerned amid accusations Pyongyang had supplied weapons to Russia against Ukraine.

Moscow and Pyongyang deny the arms transaction.

Responding to the signing of a military pact by Kim and Putin, South Korea said it would review the possibility of supplying weapons directly to Ukraine, reversing the position that has been maintained despite pressure from Washington and the West.