Amid North Korea and Russia’s agreement on mutual military intervention in times of crisis, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly protested against the Russian ambassador to South Korea for heightening the security threat on the Korean Peninsula.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Korea’s First Vice Minister Kim Hong Kyun summoned the Russian Ambassador to South Korea, Georgy Zinoviev, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building around 2 PM on June 21. Kim conveyed the South Korean government’s adamant stance on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s agreement with North Korea to strengthen mutual military and economic cooperation. At this meeting, Kim strongly urged Russia to immediately cease military cooperation with North Korea and comply with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Kim pointed out the situation where North Korea has not hesitated to threaten South Korea with nuclear use while developing illegal nuclear missiles for decades. He told Zinoviev that South Korea would firmly deal with any actions threatening the country’s security and the international community.
Furthermore, Kim pointed out that any cooperation that can directly or indirectly aid North Korea’s military buildup violates the UN Security Council resolutions. As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia can only negatively impact Korea-Russia relations by violating the Security Council resolutions and supporting North Korea, thereby threatening South Korea’s security. Kim demanded that Russia act responsibly. In response, Zinoviev promised to accurately report the South Korean government’s position to Russia.
Before the meeting, when reporters asked Zinoviev about his position on the South Korean government’s announcement of a plan to reconsider military support for Ukraine as a countermeasure against the North Korea-Russia treaty, he greeted, “Hello, everyone,” and entered the building without answering.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Putin held a summit in Pyongyang on June 19 and signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.
This agreement includes providing military and other assistance without delay by all means if either party is invaded, allowing Russia’s military intervention on the Korean Peninsula at North Korea and Russia’s discretion in times of crisis.
In response, the South Korean government held a Standing Committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) the day before. It announced a plan to reconsider weapons support for Ukraine, stepping up its response.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae Yul, who is on a trip to New York to attend the UN Security Council, had separate telephone consultations with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko on June 20. They took a critical stance on the agreement between North Korea and Russia.
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