Blinken says US shares South Korean concerns over growing Russia-North Korea military ties

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed shared concerns with South Korea regarding the increasing military collaboration between North Korea and Russia. He described this relationship as a reciprocal exchange of arms and technical assistance. Blinken, alongside South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, discussed the implementation of an extended deterrence strategy to counter North Korean threats, which involves leveraging US military capabilities, including nuclear forces, and enhancing cooperation with Japan. Blinken emphasized the close monitoring of Russian support to North Korea, particularly in areas such as ballistic missile development, nuclear technology, and space launch capabilities. The US is actively working to identify and counter these efforts. The US, South Korea, and Japan have publicly denounced the suspected transfer of military equipment from North Korea to Russia, interpreting cargo movements as evidence of such transactions. Despite denials from North Korea and Russia, their leaders have committed to deeper military cooperation. Blinken highlighted the mutual nature of this relationship, noting North Korea's provision of military equipment to Russia for the conflict in Ukraine and Russia's technical support to North Korea's military advancements. Blinken's concerns extend to the security of the Korean peninsula, the integrity of global non-proliferation treaties, the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, and the violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. Following his visit to Japan, Blinken arrived in South Korea, where he underscored the increased collaboration between the US and its East Asian allies in response to North Korea's continued nuclear and missile development, which defies UN resolutions. This collaboration includes sharing missile warning data, conducting trilateral defense exercises, and combating North Korean cyber threats. Park Jin suggested that China could play a constructive role in addressing the tensions arising from the North Korea-Russia partnership, which he believes are not in China's interest. Blinken's brief stay in Seoul signifies the US's commitment to the Korean peninsula and regional concerns, ensuring that agreements from previous presidential summits are being executed, despite other global conflicts. Analyst Duyeon Kim from the Center for a New American Security emphasized the importance of sustained US attention to these issues. During a meeting in Japan with G7 foreign ministers, Blinken condemned North Korea's arms transfers to Russia, labeling them a direct breach of UN resolutions. The ministers also advocated for ceasefires in the Israel-Hamas conflict to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery. Park Jin echoed the call for humanitarian pauses and is closely monitoring any potential involvement of North Korea in supporting Hamas. He affirmed that any confirmed links would warrant condemnation of North Korea. North Korea has refuted allegations of its weapons being used by Hamas, dismissing them as a US diversion tactic. Upon his arrival for discussions with Park, Blinken encountered South Korean protesters advocating for a ceasefire and opposing alignment with US-Israel policies. Blinken's visit to South Korea, the first by a US Secretary of State in over two years, is part of a larger Asia tour that includes a stop in India and follows his trip to the Middle East. Park Jin also mentioned North Korea's attempts to launch a spy satellite, urging a halt to such activities. Despite two failed launch attempts this year, North Korea is believed to be preparing for another attempt, possibly with Russian technical assistance.