South Korea called on Russia to persuade North Korea to return to dialogue if it wants peace, after a Russian official expressed support for Pyongyang's efforts to expand its military capabilities against Seoul and Washington's combined drills.

On Friday, an official from Seoul's foreign ministry said that North Korea's illegal nuclear and missile development and provocations in violation of the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) resolutions undermine regional peace and stability.

The official said Seoul and Washington's joint drills are defensive measures to protect the lives and safety of the South Korean people amid Pyongyang's advanced nuclear and missile threats.

The official stressed that the North's denuclearization and return to dialogue would be critical in bolstering stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, as well as establishing sustainable peace.

The official said Russia, as a permanent member of the UNSC, should dissuade North Korea from escalating tensions and urge it to return to dialogue and diplomacy.

On Thursday, Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow considers Pyongyang's measures to enhance its defense capabilities to be "reasonable" in light of Seoul and Washington's joint military exercises.