"We have reasons to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang," Blinken said during a joint press conference following talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in Seoul.
"Putin may be close to reversing a decades-long policy by accepting North Korea's nuclear weapons program," he said, using the abbreviation for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"That concern is very much a focus, not only for the United States, but also for Korea and Japan," he added.
Their talks coincided with North Korea's first ballistic missile launch of the year on Monday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the North fired a suspected hypersonic ballistic missile from Pyongyang into the East Sea. The missile flew approximately 1,100 kilometers before landing in the water.
During the meeting, Cho and Blinken condemned the missile launch while reaffirming the strength of the U.S.-South Korea alliance.
"We have confirmed today that the U.S.-ROK alliance remains unwavering. I emphasized that South Korea's foreign policy will continue consistently under Acting President Choi Sang-mok's leadership, supported by stable governance and the robust U.S.-ROK partnership," Cho said. He also stressed the importance of strengthening trilateral ties with Japan.
Blinken arrived in Seoul on Sunday in a visit seen as a farewell trip before the Trump administration begins on Jan. 20. After South Korea, Blinken plans to travel to Japan and France.
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