WASHINGTON — President Yoon Suk Yeol is poised to express concerns about escalating defense collaborations between North Korea and Russia during his participation at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit this week. This marks his third consecutive attendance, a first for a South Korean president.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon will issue a stark warning at the summit, highlighting the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. He is scheduled to visit Washington from Wednesday to Thursday to engage in this crucial diplomatic event. During his stay, he will conduct consecutive meetings with the leaders of more than five NATO countries, including the Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. These discussions are set to cover bilateral, regional, and global security issues with a focus on energy and security cooperation.
The visit also includes a prestigious dinner at the White House, hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, where Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, will be in attendance. On Thursday, Yoon is slated to take part in a meeting with NATO's Indo-Pacific partners—Japan, Australia, and New Zealand—before the main NATO summit. This gathering is expected to yield a collective stance against the military ties between North Korea and Russia.
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo emphasized the importance of the summit, stating on Friday that Seoul intends to deliver a "strong message" regarding the military collaboration between North Korea and Russia. "While sending a strong message against military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, (we) will discuss ways for cooperation with NATO to respond to this," he explained during a briefing.
In a significant development last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin inked a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty that promises mutual military support in the event of an attack, which has intensified concerns over their strengthening alliance.
Amidst these developments, Yoon is also scheduled to address the NATO Public Forum on Thursday, co-organized by NATO and five prominent think tanks in the United States and Europe, marking another historic first for a South Korean leader at the forum.