South Korea summons Russian ambassador as tensions rise with North Korea

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea has summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a defense pact with North Korea, two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement vowing mutual defense with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on a state visit to Pyongyang. South Korea’s government has denounced the agreement as a threat to the South’s security and said it will consider providing arms to Ukraine to help it fight Russia’s invasion. Earlier on Friday, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued a vague threat of retaliation after South Korean activists flew balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the border, underscoring rising tensions on the peninsula.