Moscow has threatened to make “unpleasant decisions” in the wake of the recent defense accord between North Korea and Russia if Seoul provides weapons to Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, has sent a strong warning to South Korea, stating that arming Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia would be “a big mistake.”
Putin’s comments coincide with Seoul’s consideration of taking similar measures in the wake of a recent defense pact between North Korea and Russia.
Putin declared, “Moscow will make decisions which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea,” in response to Seoul’s thought of arming Ukraine. Shortly after his state visit to Pyongyang, where he signed a mutual defense agreement with Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, the Russian president said these things while on a visit to Vietnam.
South Korea’s presidential office announced on Friday that it would explore “various options” regarding arms support to Ukraine, with its final stance hinging on Russia’s actions. Additionally, South Korea is expected to summon the Russian ambassador to lodge a formal protest, according to Yonhap news agency.
To date, South Korea has provided humanitarian aid and military equipment to Ukraine but has refrained from supplying lethal weapons, adhering to its policy against arming nations in conflict. However, the burgeoning military collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang has prompted some in Ukraine to hope that Seoul might reconsider its position.
During Putin’s visit, Kim Jong Un pledged “full support” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Evidence suggests that North Korean missiles are already being deployed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
The US national security council spokesman, John Kirby, expressed concern about the Russian-North Korean pact, stating it should alarm any nation invested in maintaining regional peace and stability. He noted that the US had been cautioning about the growing defence relationship between the two countries for several months.
Japan also expressed its concerns, with government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi denouncing the deal and drawing attention to the possibility of inappropriate military technology collaboration between North Korea and Russia.
Analysts caution that the deal may have important regional and worldwide ramifications. In addition to giving North Korea the opportunity to openly arm Russia, this increases the likelihood of Russian engagement in any future Korean Peninsula conflicts. Though there is still officially conflict between the two Koreas, tensions along their border have grown recently.
In a separate incident on Thursday, North Korean troops briefly crossed the border before retreating after South Korean forces fired warning shots, marking the third such incursion in less than three weeks. Previous incidents on June 9 and June 18 were deemed unintentional by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
