WASHINGTON/SEOUL — In a significant diplomatic development, the national security advisers of South Korea and the United States have jointly condemned North Korea’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, which have reportedly been used in Ukraine. This condemnation came during a phone call on Tuesday, as confirmed by the White House.
According to Yonhap News Agency, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and his South Korean counterpart, Chang Ho-jin, discussed North Korea’s growing military collaboration with Russia and its recent aggressive actions along the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea. The conversation came in the wake of the United States revealing that North Korea has provided Russia with several dozen ballistic missiles. Some of these missiles were reportedly launched against Ukraine on December 30, January 2, and the following Saturday.
The White House readout emphasized that both officials “condemned in the strongest possible terms the DPRK’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia and Russia’s use of these missiles against Ukraine,” referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The statement highlighted that this transfer and subsequent use of the missiles not only exacerbate the suffering of the Ukrainian people but also violate multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions. It was further noted that these actions undermine the global non-proliferation regime and pose significant security implications for Europe, the Korean Peninsula, and the Indo-Pacific region.
Additionally, both Sullivan and Chang pledged to work closely in support of Ukraine and its people, and to collaborate on shared security challenges. This collaboration aims to bolster peace and security across the Indo-Pacific region and globally.
The presidential office of South Korea released a separate statement, in which Chang referred to the previous year as a “symbolic year” for the development of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. He expressed his desire for continued close cooperation with Sullivan to further develop their countries’ global comprehensive strategic alliance. This alliance encompasses areas such as extended deterrence, Indo-Pacific strategies, emerging technologies, and economic security.
Sullivan reciprocated these sentiments, affirming his commitment to further strengthen the robust alliance in the coming year. He also expressed his eagerness to meet Chang in person soon.