Seoul, Nov 14 (EFE).- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said his country was considering increasing support for Ukraine in response to North Korea’s reinforcement of military ties with Russia, particularly the sending of 10,000 soldiers to fight in the Ukraine war.
Yoon interacted with EFE through a written interview a day ahead of his visit to Lima in Peru that begins Thursday and during which he will take part in the APEC Summit.
He underlined that North Korea sending troops to fight for Russia constituted a serious threat to the security not only to the Korean peninsula and Europe, but of the entire world.
Yoon further underlined that Pyongyang has provided “considerable amounts of military weaponry” to Moscow to support the invasion of Ukraine in violation of UN sanctions.
“If they both do not stop their dangerous military adventure, we are prepared to implement appropriate effective measures, including strengthening support for Ukraine, in cooperation with our allies and like-minded countries,” Yoon said.
So far, Seoul has adhered to the articles of its foreign trade law that prevent it from directly transferring lethal weapons to ‘warring’ countries, as is the case with Ukraine.
Yoon had previously pointed to the possibility that his government would go beyond mere financial and humanitarian support in the Ukraine war, and the strengthening of Russian military ties with Pyongyang has made this possibility even stronger.
In this regard, the South Korean president stressed that since it became known at the end of October that the northern regime was mobilizing troops for the Ukrainian front, Seoul has indicated “that it will take countermeasures step by step as the situation progresses.”
Moreover, Yoon said it was a matter of serious concern that Moscow “transfers sensitive military technology” to Pyongyang in exchange for sending soldiers, and even worse “than North Korea, which has had no combat experience for more than 70 years” acquires knowledge of modern warfare in Ukraine.
Talks with Russia and China
As of now, Seoul does not appear to be contemplating breaking off diplomatic and economic ties with Russia and plans to take part in the G20 leaders summit in Brazil later this month.
The president said his administration has repeatedly demanded that Pyongyang and Moscow cease “their illegal military cooperation,” and immediately withdraw North Korean troops from Russian territory. Moreover, at the same time he stressed that “diplomatic efforts” are being spared to keep open “the necessary channels of communication with Russia.”
At the same time, he asserted that in order to solve the current situation his country was committed to maintaining a “strategic dialogue” with China – an important ally of both North Korea and Russia -, underscoring its important role in contributing to regional stability.
More Freedom for North Koreans
At a time of non-existent relations with Pyongyang, which claimed it had amended his Constitution to remove references to reconciliation and reunification – representing a U-turn in its three-decade long diplomatic policy -, Yoon hopes that the new “unification doctrine” he presented in August will improve the situation on the peninsula.
This new program of the Yoon government – which in turn marks a change from previous policies in Seoul by directly calling for an improvement of the human rights situation of North Koreans – has received no response from Pyongyang.
“If Pyongyang really cares about its people, I think there would be no reason to reject measures aimed at increasing freedom and improving the human rights of its people,” Yoon said.
In this regard, Yoon hoped that the international community would continue to urge North Korea to resume dialogue and work to improve the basic rights of North Koreans, as well as to support the reunification of the peninsula.
Return of Trump administration
On possible obstacles to the South Korea-US alliance in the face of the return to power of Donald Trump – who has suggested he could try again to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, or wanted Seoul to pay a significantly higher amount for keeping 28,500 US troops on its territory -, Yoon refrained from making comments with respect to “hypothetical circumstances.”
Nevertheless, he pointed out that the relationship between Seoul and Washington “was not forged overnight, but is a very special alliance that has evolved at the pace of changes in the world order over the past 70 years” and that they have “fostered strong mutual trust and support.”
Yoon promised to continue “working with the new US Administration to further consolidate and strengthen the Korean-American alliance in all areas” and to continue to “achieve the denuclearization of North Korea on the basis of close cooperation” with Washington. EFE
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