Published November 09,2023
Subscribe
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday condemned North Korea for sending arms to assist the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as he held conferences with prime officers in key ally South Korea.
The United States, South Korea and Japan have in current weeks repeatedly criticised Pyongyang for serving to Russia pursue its army marketing campaign in Ukraine, with Seoul saying North Korea has despatched 1,000,000 artillery rounds.
Blinken is in Seoul following a G7 overseas ministers’ assembly in Japan. He met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Thursday.
They “strongly condemned the provision of military equipment and munitions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the Russian Federation for use in its war against Ukraine”, the U.S. State Department stated in a readout of Blinken’s assembly with Yoon.
Blinken, it added, “also thanked President Yoon for the ROK’s pledge to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza”.
The prime U.S. diplomat’s Asian stops observe a whirlwind tour of the Middle East for discussions on the Israel-Hamas battle.
Earlier Thursday, Blinken met South Korean nationwide safety advisor Cho Tae-yong.
He thanked Cho for South Korea’s “commitment to providing assistance to Ukraine”, in keeping with a State Department readout.
Historic allies Russia and North Korea are each beneath worldwide sanctions — the previous for its invasion of Ukraine and Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
Their rising army cooperation has been a supply of concern for Ukraine and its allies, particularly following North Korean chief Kim Jong Un‘s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September.
South Korea has stated Pyongyang is offering weapons in alternate for Russian house expertise in order that it might probably put a army spy satellite tv for pc in orbit.
“We’re deeply concerned about what Russia is providing Pyongyang in return for the weapons and munitions that it’s getting,” Blinken had stated in Tokyo.
The Kremlin stated final month there was “no proof” North Korea was sending weapons to Russia.
“Given this renewed cooperation between North Korea and Russia, South Korea understandably wants a demonstration of US support and a reaffirmed US commitment to uphold UN sanctions,” Benjamin A. Engel, a professor at Seoul National University, advised AFP.
“This visit is designed to do that.”
Blinken can be assembly his South Korean counterpart within the afternoon.
‘UPGRADED ALLIANCE’
South Korea is a significant arms exporter, however a longstanding coverage bars it from sending weapons into lively battle zones.
However, it’s anticipated to face continued U.S. strain to revise that place, analysts stated.
“As conflict in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine reverberate around the world, upgraded alliance cooperation must be increasingly global in scope,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, advised AFP.
South Korea has ramped up safety cooperation with the United States beneath the Yoon administration within the face of rising threats from North Korea.
That has included large-scale army drills involving hundreds of troops and strategic property together with U.S. long-range heavy bombers.
Last month, a nuclear-capable U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber made a uncommon touchdown in South Korea, lower than per week after a go to by a U.S. nuclear-powered plane service.
Blinken’s go to is “further evidence” of a strengthened bilateral alliance, stated Easley.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin can be scheduled to go to South Korea this month.
Source: www.anews.com.tr