BTN News: In a major diplomacy shift, For the first time South Korea protested over new military agreement between Russia and North Korea on Tuesday. The deal, signed in Pyongyang earlier in the week, has rattled U.S. and South Korean security officials who called foul soon after it was sealed.
Russia-Korea Labor Pact Diplomatic Tensions Rising
South Korea’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, summoned Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev to voice its displeasure Friday afternoon. South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun for his part relayed Seoul’s apprehension on the seriousness of any Russia-North Korea military cooperation to Zinoviev, saying that it could threaten South Korea’s security and peace in the region.
While noting that it would also deliver a serious blow to South Korea’s national security, Kim said the move could also harm Seoul’s ties with Moscow. He called on Russia to “rethink its actions” and act responsibly in the world.
International Response And Condemnation
South Korea’s Foreign Minister, Cho Tae-yul, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken both blasted the treaty. Trump officials had a phone conversation with their successors Thursday in which Cho and Blinken raised the possibility of responding in some way to the agreement, saying they would continue to closely watch the situation. Blinken also repeated U.S. support for South Korea in dealing with those “profound security threats” as he tied them to broader questions of regional stability.
The two leaders also denounced the treaty as a breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The agreement also states that Russia and North Korea will give each other immediate support in case of military attack. Cho said the cooperation would bolster North Korea’s military capabilities, which are under worldwide sanction to prevent Pyongyang from further developing deadly weapons.
Security Issues and Regional/ Strategic Implications
The deal has worried Tokyo too. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa voiced shock during a telephone conversation, pointing out the likely security implications of the agreement.
After the Russia-North Korea agreement was unveiled, South Korean National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin said Seoul could consider providing weapons. Such a move on South Korea’s military support could have even bigger geopolitical effects, globally.
The future: observability and response
As the international community responds to this development, South Korea and its friends are getting ready to respond to the changed security environment. Also, the US has shown that it will look at several defenses to new Russia-North Korea military collaboration making sure its preservation security around the globe in international peace and stability.
