Seoul – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have expressed their concerns about the strengthening relationship between Russia and North Korea. In a statement released by Yoon’s office on Thursday (July 11), both leaders emphasized the importance of continuing their security collaboration.
The two heads of state met on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington on Wednesday, marking their third consecutive year attending the event.
Yoon highlighted that the increasing military and economic cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a significant security threat not only to East Asia but also globally.
He further pointed out that the closer ties between Pyongyang and Moscow underscore the importance of the trilateral summit held at Camp David last year with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japan’s Kishida. During that summit, they agreed to enhance military and economic cooperation.
Since his inauguration in 2022, Yoon has made efforts to improve relations with Tokyo, which have been strained due to historical disputes related to Japan’s occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.
In a recent interview with Reuters, Yoon cautioned Russia about its growing military relationship with North Korea.
Both Seoul and Washington have accused North Korea of supplying artillery and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine, allegations that Moscow and Pyongyang have denied.
