South Korea’s Yoon warns against Russia-North Korea military cooperation and plans to discuss at UN

SEOUL – South Korea’s president stated the world group “will unite more tightly” to take care of deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as he plans to elevate the problem with global leaders at the U.N. General Assembly this week.

Worries about Russian-North Korean ties have flared since North Korean chief Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia ultimate week for a summit with President Vladimir Putin and to excursion a slew of high-profile military and era websites. Foreign professionals speculate Kim may replenish Russia’s ammunition stock tired in its 18-month war with Ukraine in go back for financial assist and applied sciences to modernize his guns programs focused on South Korea and the U.S.

“Military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is illegal and unjust as it contravenes U.N. Security Council resolutions and various other international sanctions,” South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated in written responses to questions from The Associated Press earlier than his departure to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly.

“The international community will unite more tightly in response to such a move,” he stated.

In his deal with Wednesday at the once a year U.N. amassing, Yoon will talk about his review of the Russian-North Korean strikes, in accordance to his place of job in South Korea, which added it’s discussing countermeasures with the U.S., Japan and different companions.

While Russian-North Korean cooperation is feared to gasoline Russia’s struggle efforts in Ukraine, it has additionally stoked safety jitters in South Korea, the place many suppose a Russian switch of subtle guns applied sciences would lend a hand North Korea gain a functioning spy satellite, a nuclear-powered submarine and extra robust missiles. Some professionals nonetheless say North Korea would finally end up receiving meals and money in go back for supplying ammunition and shells as a result of Russia intently guards its high-tech guns applied sciences.

North Korea’s advancing nuclear arsenal has been a significant supply of tensions within the area, with the North brazenly threatening to use nuclear guns in doable conflicts with its opponents and accomplishing a barrage of missile checks since ultimate 12 months. In reaction, Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden in April agreed to enlarge joint military workout routines, build up the transient deployments of U.S. strategic property and release a bilateral nuclear consultative crew.

“Our two countries (South Korea and the U.S.) reaffirmed that any nuclear attack by North Korea will be met with a swift, overwhelming and decisive response that will bring about the end of the regime,” Yoon stated.

“Going forward, (South Korea)-U.S. extended deterrence will develop into a joint system in which both countries discuss, decide and act together,” he stated. “We will also enhance the ability to deter and respond to any nuclear or missile threat from North Korea.”

Since coming into Russia ultimate Tuesday in his first international shuttle in 4 1/2 years, Kim has inspected a few of Russia’s most advanced weapons systems together with nuclear-capable bombers, fighter jets, hypersonic missiles and a warship. During a summit with Putin at Russia’s maximum vital house release middle on Wednesday, Kim vowed “full and unconditional support” for Putin.

Some South Koreans call on their government to consider providing lethal weapons to Ukraine in retaliation against Russia’s possible weapons technology transfers. But South Korea’s Defense Ministry said its policy of not supplying weapons to countries at war remained unchanged.

Yoon recently announced South Korea will provide an additional $300 million to Ukraine next year, on top of the $150 million promised this year. He said South Korea will prepare for a mid- to long-term support package worth more than $2 billion.

South Korea has provided Ukraine with demining equipment, emergency evacuation vehicles, pickup trucks, medical supplies, tablet PCs and other items. Yoon said in the coming year South Korea will continue to communicate closely with Ukraine to send it what is truly needed.

Since taking office last year, Yoon, a conservative, has made a bolstered military alliance with the U.S. the heart of his foreign policy while pushing to move beyond history disputes with Japan — Korea’s former colonial ruler — and expand a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo security cooperation. That has triggered concerns that South Korea’s relations with China, its biggest trading partner, will be hurt.

Yoon dismissed such a notion, saying “the trilateral cooperation harbors no intention of marginalizing any particular nation or establishing an exclusive coalition.”

Citing his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping last November and Premier Li Qiang this month, both on the margins of regional gatherings, Yoon said he learned that “China also attaches importance to (South Korea)-China relations.”

During their November meeting, Yoon said Xi expressed his willingness to visit South Korea when the COVID-19 pandemic situation stabilized. Yoon said Li and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had also expressed their support for resuming a trilateral Seoul-Beijing-Tokyo summit in South Korea for the first time in four years.

“All three countries — the Republic of Korea, the United States and Japan — share a common understanding that it is important for China to play a responsible and constructive role not only in resolving pending issues on the Korean Peninsula and in the region but also in addressing global challenges,” Yoon said.

In his U.N. speech, Yoon said that he’ll also raise the issue of gaps in three areas — development, climate responses and digital transformation — and present how South Korea will contribute to resolving them. Yoon said that as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 2024-25 term, he’ll also mention that South Korea will play a responsible role on security issues that require international solidarity like the war in Ukraine and the North Korean nuclear program.

While in New York, Yoon stated he’ll cling bilateral summits with the leaders of about 30 international locations. Yoon stated he will check out to use the ones summits to discuss bilateral cooperation and provide an explanation for South Kore’s hopes to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan, South Korea’s second-biggest town.