Russia demands S. Korea's apology over suspicions Russia provided N.K. with missile components

Russia demanded an apology from South Korea on Wednesday for raising suspicions that key components of North Korea's recently tested rocket are from Russia.

Mikhail Ulyanov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's nonproliferation and arms control department, said in a news conference that South Korea should present evidence backing up the suspicions or retract them and apologize.

"This statement is irresponsible and unprofessional. One cannot come forward with such accusations without having clear evidence," the official said.

After the North's missile launch on Sunday, officials of South Korea's National Intelligence Service said in a closed-door emergency briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee that key components of the missile appear to have come from Russia, according to lawmakers. (Yonhap)