{"id":2205513,"date":"2024-06-20T08:00:39","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T23:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2205513"},"modified":"2024-06-19T19:48:47","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T10:48:47","slug":"south-koreas-security-at-risk-as-russia-and-north-korea-strengthen-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/06\/south-koreas-security-at-risk-as-russia-and-north-korea-strengthen-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s security at risk as Russia and North Korea strengthen partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"
Russia and North Korea have <\/span>signed<\/span><\/a> a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, an agreement to construct a border road bridge across the Tumen River and a cooperation agreement in healthcare, medical education and science. The two countries signed the agreements during Russian leader Vladimir Putin\u2019s state visit to Pyongyang on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n The strategic partnership agreement provides for \u201cmutual assistance\u201d in the event of \u201caggression\u201d against either country, <\/span>Russian state media<\/span><\/a> cited Putin as saying. Putin also reportedly praised North Korea\u2019s support of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, stating that it is \u201canother proof of its [North Korea\u2019s] sovereign policy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n Strengthening ties between Russia and North Korea pose significant challenges to South Korea\u2019s national security. While the provision for \u201cmutual assistance\u201d in case of \u201caggression\u201d is ambiguous and falls short of a formal mutual defense treaty, it still represents a significant deepening of the two countries\u2019 relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n Putin\u2019s praise of North Korea\u2019s support for Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine as proof of its \u201csovereign policy\u201d is likely a veiled criticism of South Korea, which has joined Western partners in <\/span>imposing<\/span><\/a> sanctions<\/span><\/a> on Russia. This puts South Korea in an awkward position, as President Yoon Suk-yeol emphasized during last month\u2019s <\/span>press conference<\/span><\/a> the need to manage relations with Russia on a case-by-case basis while pursuing economic ties and shared interests, despite previously describing Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine as \u201cillegal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In response to the Russia-North Korea agreement, South Korea will likely further emphasize <\/span>trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan<\/span><\/a> and seek <\/span>China\u2019s cooperation<\/span><\/a> to pressure North Korea. Last month\u2019s South Korea-Japan-China <\/span>trilateral summit<\/span><\/a> led to a joint declaration where all three countries <\/span>reiterated<\/span><\/a> the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. However, whether Seoul will consider providing direct lethal military assistance to Ukraine remains uncertain.<\/span><\/p>\n