Moscow ready to help implement agreements between Pyongyang, Seoul: Lavrov

MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that Moscow is ready to fully assist in implementing agreements reached between Pyongyang and Seoul, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Lavrov made the remarks at the beginning of talks with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un in the DPRK's capital Pyongyang, a ministry statement said.

Lavrov said Russian President Vladimir Putin conveys to Kim his warmest regards and best wishes for success in the major undertakings initiated on the Korean Peninsula with the latter's participation.

"We very positively evaluated the Panmunjom Declaration, which you signed with the President of the Republic of Korea. We are ready to contribute in every way to its implementation, especially since there are mentioned railway projects, which in the long term should be implemented with Russia's participation," the statement cited Lavrov as saying.

Lavrov said Russia is interested in peace, stability and prosperity both on the Korean Peninsula and in the whole Northeast Asia, the statement said.

ROK President Moon Jae-in and Kim held their first summit at the border village of Panmunjom on April 27, signing and announcing the Panmunjom Declaration. Just a month later, Moon and Kim held their surprise second summit on May 26.

Under the Panmunjom Declaration, the two Koreas agreed to complete denuclearization and the alteration of the current armistice agreement into a peace treaty by the end of this year. The Korean Peninsula remains technically in a state of war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice.