Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, will attend the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. The meeting is being celebrated as “Marking 75 years of the Alliance” and will be an important discussion of geopolitical strategy amid heightened tensions worldwide.
“Seventy-five years ago, 12 countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C. to ensure their collective defense in an unpredictable world,” read a release for the summit. “This year, 32 NATO Allies will meet again in Washington, D.C. to make key decisions on how to continue to protect their one billion citizens as the world faces the most dangerous security environment since the Cold War.”
One of the topics Yoon will discuss is the looming threat North Korea poses to Europe after the communist country’s recent decision to strengthen its alliance with Russia after a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un.
“Military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a distinct threat and grave challenge to the peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in Europe,” Yoon said in a statement reported by Reuters.
Aid to Ukraine will also be one of the main topics discussed. Yoon stressed that South Korea would base its decision on providing aid to the Eastern European country on the progression of the military agreement between North Korea and Russia, Reuters reported. The NATO meeting is set for July 9 through July 11. While not a NATO member, South Korea will be joined by Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, the alliance’s Asia-Pacific partners.
Russia’s war with Ukraine has strained its relationship with South Korea. Yoon vehemently objected to the meeting between Putin and Jong Un. He also accused Russia of receiving weapons from North Korea, a claim which Russian officials have denied.
Putin has downplayed South Korea’s criticism of the relationship between his country and North Korea. In June, he dismissed South Korea’s concerns about the military alliance between Russia and North Korea.
“South Korea, the Republic of Korea has nothing to worry about because our military assistance under the treaty we signed only arises if aggression is carried out against one of the signatories. As far as I know, the Republic of Korea is not planning aggression against the DPRK [North Korea],” Putin said at the time.
Still, Putin warned South Korea of interfering in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, especially if it started sending weapons to the country.
“As for the supply of lethal weapons to the war zone in Ukraine, that would be a very big mistake,” Putin said. “I hope that this will not happen. And if it does happen, then we will also take appropriate decisions, which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea.”
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Yet Yoon has not been deterred. On Sunday, he continued his criticism of North Korea and urged Russia to take a side regarding geopolitical agreements and alliances.
“North Korea is clearly a menace to the international society,” Yoon said. “I hope that Russia will sensibly decide which side – the South or the North – is more important and necessary for its own interests.”
“The future of ROK [Republic of Korea] – Russia relations depends entirely on Russia’s actions,” Yoon said.
