[리셋 코리아] Strategic cooperation between Korea and Europe becomes urgent

Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Professor at King’s College London, UK and Advisory Member of Reset Korea

The North Korean military’s deployment to Russia marks the first time a non-European government has dispatched its troops to Europe to fight a war since World War II. Europe is shocked and is trying to figure out how to recognize and respond to North Korea’s troop deployment. For the first time in years, North Korea’s actions are a prominent topic on the agendas of European leaders and policymakers. North Korean troops were deployed to kill Europeans such as Ukrainians. North Korea’s first nuclear test in 2006 was the last time the Kim family’s actions were seriously discussed in Europe. That is why the European Union (EU), European countries, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are taking the dispatch of North Korean troops seriously.

Europe is shocked by North Korea’s troop dispatch
Interested in whether Korea supports lethal weapons
Strengthening Korea’s position as a security partner

Reporter Kim Ji-yoon

It will take a long time for relations between Europe and North Korea to recover. Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are trying to understand North Korea’s actions for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and are trying to revive relations with North Korea. By resuming dialogue and diplomatic exchanges with North Korea, European policymakers are trying to make North Korea understand that its full support for Russia could pose a serious problem for Europe.

At the same time, Europe, led by the EU, is seeking ways to punish North Korea for sending troops to fight alongside Russia. This includes public criticism and raising issues at the United Nations. Europe is also planning to push for additional sanctions and reduced support for North Korea. Through this, Europe can strike back at North Korea while also sending a warning to other governments that might try to follow in Kim Jong-un’s footsteps. Most countries are not as isolated as North Korea and will think twice before taking an economic hit from Europe.

Many European policymakers are approaching China and explaining that cooperation between Russia and North Korea harms China’s interests. The perception that North Korea and China are the main drivers of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will grow as North Korean forces fight Ukrainian forces. The West believes that North Korea provides troops and weapons, while China provides economic and diplomatic support and key technologies. China does not like to be tied to one axis of authoritarian regimes, but North Korea’s sending troops to Russia shows that the axis of authoritarianism really exists.

North Korea’s troop dispatch is leading to a nightmare scenario for China. Europe will seek to further strengthen cooperation with East Asian and Indo-Pacific partners, especially Korea. The North Korean military in Russia is clear evidence that Atlantic and Indo-Pacific geopolitics have become one. From a European perspective, this means the need to strengthen relationships with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific. NATO-IP4 (four Indo-Pacific partners, including Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand) cooperation and the recently announced Korea-EU security and defense partnership are long-term cooperation mechanisms, but the North Korean military’s participation in the European war strengthens this in the short term. This is an undesirable situation for Chinese leaders.

Europe knows well that its response to North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia must include cooperation with South Korea. NATO, the EU, and Ukraine are accelerating information exchange with South Korea regarding North Korea-Russia relations. Security and defense dialogue and exchanges between Europe and Korea will grow further.

Europe is watching whether the Korean government will allow support of lethal weapons to Ukraine. Europe knows that Korea is indirectly providing lethal weapons to Ukraine through third countries such as the United States and Poland. This includes artillery shells that are critical to Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.

Europeans are grateful for all the support Korea has provided directly and indirectly to Ukraine. However, with North Korean troops being sent to war in Europe, many European leaders believe that the time has come to provide Ukraine with direct lethal weapons or at least a defense system. This will strengthen Korea’s position as a key security partner in Europe and ensure European support for Korea in the event of conflict on the Korean Peninsula. As North Korea dispatched troops to Ukraine, the division of Korea moved to the heart of Europe. This further reinforces the need for Europe and Korea to become long-term strategic partners.

※ Contributions by external writers may differ from the editorial direction of this magazine.

Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Professor at King’s College London, UK and Advisory Member of Reset Korea