N. Korean foreign minister vows support for Russia

[Anchor]

Hello everyone?

This is the 9 o'clock news on the first day of November.

Amid observations that the deployment of North Korean troops to the Ukraine war is imminent, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui met with her Russian counterpart.

Choe raised the threat level, stating that the situation on the Korean Peninsula could change explosively at any time and that they would prepare for a nuclear attack.

The first report is from our correspondent Lee Hwa-jin.

[Report]

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui began talks with her Russian counterpart after being welcomed with a bouquet of flowers.

She pledged to do her best for Russia's victory in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

[Choe Son-hui/DPRK Foreign Minister: "(I have) no doubt that (Russia) will achieve victory, and I assure you that we will always be with our Russian comrades until the day of victory."]

Choe threatened at this meeting that "the United States and South Korea are plotting a nuclear attack against the North," and that "the situation on the Korean Peninsula could change explosively at any time."

She also emphasized that "we must strengthen our nuclear weapons and be prepared to carry out retaliatory nuclear attacks."

In a situation where the deployment of North Korean troops is receiving international condemnation, it seems they are trying to find justification for the use of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula.

The Russian side also responded.

[Sergey Lavrov/Russian Foreign Minister: "The strategic partnership treaty will play a stabilizing role in the Northeast Asia region and, more broadly, across our continent."]

Minister Lavrov, in his opening remarks at the meeting, stated that "a new relationship has been adopted since the signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between North Korea and Russia," suggesting a justification for the deployment of North Korean troops.

As this is the first high-level working meeting between North Korea and Russia since the deployment of the North's troops, European media are also treating it as breaking news and closely monitoring the potential impact on international affairs.

This is Lee Hwa-jin reporting for KBS News from Paris.