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| President Yoon Suk Yeol listens to a speech at the 18th East Asia Summit at Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia, Thursday (local time). Joint Press Corps |
President voices opposition to NK-Russia cooperation, calls on China to play its part
By Nam Hyun-woo
JAKARTA ― President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed, Thursday, the "hefty responsibility" that the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council possess in handling North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, in an apparent signal to Russia and China, which have blocked the international community's attempts to punish Pyongyang's repeated provocations.
He also revealed South Korea's positions on volatile regional issues, including territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the war in Ukraine, noting that Seoul is against any attempt to change the status quo by force.
"North Korea's nuclear and missile programs are serious violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions, a direct challenge to global peace and a tangible threat that can strike all countries participating in the East Asia Summit (EAS)," Yoon said during the 18th EAS, where Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Premier Li Qiang were also present.
"All members of the United Nations need to abide by the resolutions of the Security Council, and the council's permanent members, who adopted the resolutions, have a hefty responsibility to do so."
Yoon was referring to Russia and China, two permanent council members, which have long been vetoing additional sanctions on the North, despite the regime's repeated missile launches, including intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Of the two, the remarks appeared to be targeting Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are expected to hold a summit in Vladivostok as early as next week.
The United States recently confirmed that Russia is seeking arms trade deals with North Korea to secure ammunition for its invasion of Ukraine in return for providing missile technologies, which is a violation of U.N. sanctions.
Moscow is also looking for joint military drills involving the North and China, although Beijing appears to be refraining from being involved in the move.
In response to the development, Yoon issued a warning against Russia during the South Korea-ASEAN Summit, Wednesday, that "any attempt at military cooperation with North Korea that undermines international peace, must be stopped immediately."
Against this backdrop, Yoon slammed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, comparing it to South Korea's experience of being invaded by the North 70 years ago. He also mentioned his visit to Kyiv in July and shared with EAS members the Ukraine Peace and Solidarity Initiative that the two countries agreed upon.
During the EAS, Yoon also said that the member countries should join efforts to prevent the North's illegal activities, such as stealing cryptocurrency, sending workers overseas and the issue of transshipments at sea, which are believed to be the main funding sources of the North's nuclear and missile programs.
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| Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends the 18th East Asia Summit at Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia, Thursday (local time). AFP-Yonhap |
In regards to China, Yoon reiterated South Korea's position that it is against any attempt to change the status quo by force in the South China Sea. He also noted the necessity of a rules-based maritime order and expectations of a code of conduct in the South China Sea, all of which represent respect for international law and each country's rights.
Compared to his remarks on Russia, however, Yoon apparently took a restrained stance on issues involving China. This is apparently because Yoon is seeking to utilize Beijing's lukewarm stance concerning its cooperation with North Korea as an opportunity to ask China to play a more active role in denuclearizing the North.
In line with that strategy, Yoon noted the importance of China's role during an interview with the Associated Press earlier this week, and stressed similar ideas during summits with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) a day earlier.
"It would be beneficial if China pays a little more attention to abiding by existing United Nations Security Council sanctions, because many of North Korea's illicit and clandestine activities are known to take place via its territory and maritime domains," a senior official at Seoul's presidential office said.
During the EAS, Yoon also expressed concerns about the continued violence and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. He also expressed Seoul's intention to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar.
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