Foreign ministers of seven major countries, including the United States, and allied countries, including South Korea, expressed concern about the possibility of North Korean troops participating in the Ukraine war. He warned that there would be serious consequences for the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific. This is reporter Lee Jo-eun.
The Foreign Ministers of the G7, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security issued a joint statement on the 5th, saying, “We have serious concerns about the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia, which may be used in the battlefield against Ukraine.” “I express this,” he said.
[공동 성명] “We, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union express our grave concerns regarding the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, potentially for the use on the battlefield against Ukraine. Several thousands of DPRK troops have been deployed to Russia. The DPRK’s direct support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, besides showing Russia’s desperate efforts to compensate its losses, would mark a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific peace and security. It would be a further breach of international law, including the most fundamental principles of the UN Charter.”
“Thousands of North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia,” the ministers said. “North Korea’s direct support of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine not only demonstrates Russia’s desperate efforts to make up for its losses, but also has serious consequences for peace and security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.” “It would mean a dangerous expansion of the conflict that would lead to .”
He warned, “This will be a further violation of international law, including the most basic principles of the UN Charter.”
“Condemnation of strengthening North Korea-Russia military cooperation”
Concerns were also expressed about North Korea-Russia military cooperation and the possible transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile technology to North Korea.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the strengthening of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including North Korea’s export of ballistic missiles and Russia’s illegal procurement in violation of numerous UN Security Council resolutions, and Russia’s use of these missiles and munitions against Ukraine.” .
He also pointed out that “receiving training or providing support to North Korean soldiers in relation to the use of ballistic missiles or weapons is a direct violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874, and 2270.”
In addition, he said, “We are deeply concerned about the possibility of nuclear or ballistic missile-related technology being transferred from Russia to North Korea in violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
“We are working with international partners”
“We urge North Korea to end its support for Russia’s war of aggression,” the ministers said, emphasizing that they are “working with international partners to ensure a coordinated response to this new situation.”
[공동 성명] “We urge the DPRK to stop providing assistance to Russia’s war of aggression… We are working with our international partners for a coordinated response to this new development.”
The statement was signed by G7 members including the United States, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Canada, as well as South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
At a public meeting held by the UN Security Council on the 30th of last month on the topic of North Korean troop deployment, North Korea criticized the United States and Western countries without admitting or denying the fact that it had dispatched troops.
Kim Sung, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations, claimed, “It is an open secret that the United States and the West are systematically providing intelligence on reconnaissance satellites equipped with precision-guided weapons to Ukraine.”
“We condemn North Korea’s ICBM launch in the strongest terms.”
Meanwhile, the G7 foreign ministers and the EU high representative strongly condemned North Korea’s recent launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICMB) in separate statements.
[공동 성명] “We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) October 31 (local time) launch of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), following other launches using ballistic missile technology. We deplore that the DPRK once again chose to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of the people in the DPRK.”
The ministers issued a joint statement on the 4th saying, “We condemn in the strongest terms North Korea’s October 31 ICBM launch, which followed other launches using ballistic missile technology.”
“We deplore that North Korea has once again decided to prioritize its illegal weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of its people,” it said.
He continued, “North Korea continues to develop its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and expands destabilizing activities,” and added, “We once again call for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
[공동 성명] “The DPRK continues to advance its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and to escalate its destabilizing activities. We reiterate our call for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and demand that the DPRK abandon all its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). We urge UNSC Members to follow through on their commitments and call on all UN Member States to fully and effectively implement relevant UNSCRs.”
“North Korea must give up all nuclear weapons and missiles”
He added, “We demand that North Korea give up all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and all other WMD and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner in accordance with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
At the same time, he said, “We call on the member states of the UN Security Council to implement their commitments,” and “we call on all UN member states to fully and effectively implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
Meanwhile, on the 1st, North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency reported that the North Korean Missile Administration successfully test-launched the latest intercontinental ballistic missile under the leadership of Chairman Kim Jong-un on the 31st of last month.
At the UN Security Council meeting on the 4th, North Korea’s Ambassador to the UN Kim Seong reiterated the existing claim that the ICBM launch was an exercise of self-defense, and instead said, “We condemn the UN Security Council for holding an illegal meeting that infringes on North Korea’s legitimate sovereign rights.” said.
Ambassador Kim claimed, “Like all strategic weapons tests we have conducted so far, (this launch) is part of our exercise of self-defense to protect our nation’s safety and peace in the region and to boldly deal with the reckless threat of nuclear war from hostile forces.” I did it.
This is Lee Jo-eun of VOA News.
