Moscow eyes gas ties to North Korea

The Russian president in a message to North Korea said he was ready to work on plans to build a natural gas pipeline to the peninsula, state media said. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a message to North Korean officials said Moscow was looking to build a natural gas pipeline through both Koreas, Voice of America reports, citing North Korea's KCNA news agency as saying. Medvedev in his message added that Russia was eager to cooperate with the North Koreans "in all directions of mutual concern." Alexei Miller, chief executive at Gazprom, met with Kim Yong Jae, North Korean envoy to Russia, in June in Moscow to discuss cooperation in the energy sector. The construction of a gas pipeline through North Korea to South Korea was considered by Gazprom as a viable option for delivering gas to the east though acrimony between both Koreas put that idea on hold, Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported. Gazprom and the South Koreans agreed to consider gas deliveries in 2009. Moscow said it could start shipping gas for Seoul by 2017.