President Moon Jae-in held a telephone discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin for 35 minutes from five o’clock this evening to brief him on the results of the inter-Korean summit and exchange ideas. 

President Moon noted that the success of the summit was attributable to active support consistently provided by Russia. Suggesting that Korea and Russia closely communicate and cooperate going forward, President Moon asked for President Putin’s extraordinary interest and assistance.

President Putin noted that the results of the inter-Korean summit would serve as a robust foundation for settling unshakable peace on the Korean Peninsula going forward. Saying that such an outcome was not the kind that could be reaped frequently, the Russian President highlighted the fact that a great feat had been pulled off amid a very complicated situation on the Korean Peninsula. 

President Putin also said that the achievements of the inter-Korean summit needed to lead to trilateral cooperative projects among the South, the North and Russia. In this regard, he added that if railroads, gas pipes, and electrical grids in Russia were extended all the way through Siberia and down the Korean Peninsula, they would contribute to stability and prosperity of the Peninsula. 

Expressing his agreement with President Putin, President Moon said it would be great for the two Koreas and Russia to initiate feasibility studies together on the trilateral cooperation project. The two leaders also agreed that trilateral cooperation could help establish a peace and security mechanism in Northeast Asia and there was a need to develop it into a multilateral security system. 

President Putin asked President Moon to pay a state visit to Russia in June. The Russian President said that President Moon would be able to watch the World Cup soccer match between South Korea and Mexico, adding that he looked forward to their meeting.