国际英语新闻：Russia, ROK agree to alleviate tensions on Korean Peninsula

MOSCOW, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Russia and the Republic of Korea ( ROK) were determined to alleviate tensions on the Korean Peninsula using diplomatic methods in the interest of peace, the two countries' foreign ministers said on Wednesday.

Sergei Lavrov and Yu Myung-hwan discussed by phone the situation that has evolved after the sinking of an ROK warship and the UN Security Council's consideration of the incident.

"Both sides expressed their commitment to solve the outstanding problems using political and diplomatic means in the interest of strengthening peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia as a whole," said a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry posted on its website.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula increased after the ROK's Cheonan corvette sank near the disputed Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea on March 26, causing the loss of 46 lives.

The ROK said after completing investigations that a submarine of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a torpedo at the vessel. Pyongyang denied the allegations.