Russia calls new U.S. sanctions on Pyongyang "illegitimate"

Russia on Wednesday called the recent U.S. sanctions on Pyongyang over its alleged assassination of top leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother "illegitimate."

Russia believes that sanctions should not bypass the United Nations Security Council, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that it has imposed sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the alleged killing of Kim Jong Nam with a nerve agent in Malaysia last year.

The new U.S. sanctions came after the DPRK showed a willingness to hold denuclearization talks with the United States and agreed to a third summit meeting with South Korea next month.

Zakharova said Russia welcomes the positive moves in intra-Korean dialogue.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)