South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would discuss with NATO leaders the distinct threat North Korea poses to Europe by deepening military ties with Russia, warning that Moscow must choose between the two Koreas where its true interests lie.
It “depends entirely” on Russia where it wants to take future ties with South Korea, Yoon said, adding that Seoul would make a decision on weapons support for Ukraine based on how a new military pact between Moscow and Pyongyang plays out.
“Military co-operation 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 told Reuters.
The remarks came in a written response to Reuters’ questions ahead of a visit to Washington for a NATO summit.
Yoon, who became the first South Korean leader to attend a NATO summit in 2022, is set to depart on Monday for the Washington event, his third time attending such a meeting.
Together with Australia, Japan and New Zealand, South Korea makes up the four Asia-Pacific partners joining in the talks on July 10 and 11.
Relations between South Korea and Russia have soured as Moscow receives shipments of ballistic missiles and artillery from Pyongyang for its war against Ukraine. Both Russia and North Korea deny such deals.
Russia has called South Korea “the most friendly among unfriendly countries”, with President Vladimir Putin saying it would be making “a big mistake” if it decided to supply arms to Ukraine.
South Korea protested when Putin visited Pyongyang in June and signed a treaty with leader Kim Jong Un that covers mutual defence.
“North Korea is clearly a menace to the international society,” Yoon said in his comments. “I hope that Russia will sensibly decide which side – the South or the North – is more important and necessary for its own interests.”
He added, “The future of ROK-Russia relations depends entirely on Russia’s actions,” referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
Russia said it “fully disagreed” with Yoon’s comments calling on it to choose between North and South Korea.
Moscow supports building good relations with its neighbours but South Korea has imposed sanctions on Russia while North Korea is a partner, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in comments posted by the Russian embassy in Seoul on social media platform X on Tuesday.
Yoon has pushed for greater security ties with Europe and other U.S. allies to deter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
At the same time, he has looked to boost the South’s role in global security, on issues such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rivalry between China and the United States.