Foreign ministry avoids direct comment on Putin’s election win

SEOUL, The foreign ministry on Tuesday refrained from commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent election victory, saying the two countries share a common commitment to "managing" their bilateral ties. During a press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said he will "refrain from commenting on Russia's recent election." "But we believe South Korea and Russia have a common commitment to managing our mutual relations," he added. "Our government is also keeping close tabs on the ongoing exchanges between Russia and North Korea in various fields." An official at the ministry also declined to provide any comments when asked to offer his views on the prevailing criticism among Western leaders that the election had not been free and fair. John Kirby, U.S. National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, criticized the election as "obviously not free nor fair," saying Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him. On Sunday, Putin won a landslide victory in Russia's presidential election for a fifth term in office, which will extend his 24-year rule for another six years. Observers say Seoul could be taking a low-key stance considering several pending bilateral issues, including the arrest of a South Korean national in Russia. Russia's TASS news agency earlier reported that the South Korean, surnamed Baek, has been held in the Lefortovo detention facility in Moscow since late February on charges that he handed over classified information to foreign intelligence agencies. Baek, a missionary with a South Korean Christian aid group named the Global Love Rice Sharing Foundation, was working in Vladivostok at the time of the arrest, mostly engaged in helping North Korean defectors flee and providing them with other assistance. Source: Yonhap News Agency