WASHINGTON - During their first in-person talks since Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul took office in January, South Korea and the United States have jointly condemned the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. According to the State Department, this alliance poses a "serious threat" to regional stability and contravenes international norms.
According to Yonhap News Agency, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul expressed grave concerns over North Korea's (DPRK) increasingly aggressive behavior and its repeated violations of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. This includes the transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the conflict in Ukraine, an action that directly challenges global nonproliferation efforts.
The White House has disclosed that North Korea has been supplying Russia with munitions, ballistic missiles, and other military equipment for the war in Ukraine, flouting UNSC resolutions that ban such transactions with Pyongyang. These actions have raised alarms about the potential for escalating tensions and undermining regional security in East Asia.
Furthermore, during their meeting, Cho and Blinken also addressed concerns regarding China's support for Russia's defense industrial base, highlighting the complexities of international relations and the challenges to maintaining peace and stability.
Both diplomats reaffirmed their countries' steadfast alignment on opposing Russia's aggression and pledged further support for Ukraine. They also emphasized the unwavering strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the critical importance of their trilateral relationship with Japan in ensuring regional security and promoting shared democratic values.