S. Korea, Russia to hold high-level talks on N. Korea, Far East

South Korea and Russia will hold a series of high-level talks this week to expand cooperation over North Korea's nuclear program and the development of Russia's Far East region, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

The meetings will take place in Moscow on Thursday and Friday, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Hyoung-zhin representing the South Korean side. Russia will be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov during the policy talks on Friday and by First Deputy Far East Development Minister Alexander Osipov during Thursday's talks focused on the Far East and Siberia.

In the policy talks, the two sides are expected to discuss ways to strengthen practical cooperation and coordinate their response to North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the ministry said in a press release.

The meeting with Osipov will largely explore ways to expand cooperation in the agriculture, fisheries and health care industries in Russia's Far East and address the difficulties faced by South Korean firms operating there.

The ministry said it expects the two meetings to help deepen bilateral ties in terms of development of the Far East and coordination over North Korea's nuclear ambitions. (Yonhap)