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South Korea Summons Russian Ambassador Over Defense Pact with North Korea
South Korea protests Russia's new defense pact with North Korea amid escalating border tensions and threats.
(U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National Cemetery / released)
SEOUL, South Korea— South Korea has summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge a protest against Russia’s new defense agreement with North Korea, amidst escalating tensions at the border following North Korean military incursions and threats.
The diplomatic action came after North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, issued a vague retaliation threat following a South Korean activist group's distribution of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets via balloons across the border. South Korea’s military also reported firing warning shots to deter North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the border, marking the third such incident this month.
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The defense pact between Russia and North Korea, announced just days ago, pledges mutual defense assistance in the event of an attack on either country. In response, South Korea indicated it might consider providing arms to Ukraine, prompting concerns about the implications for regional stability and violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul discussed the situation in separate phone calls with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, emphasizing the pact’s potential threat to peace in the region. The diplomats agreed to enhance trilateral coordination to address challenges arising from the alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.
The recent border tensions include South Korean activists launching propaganda balloons, North Korea responding with trash-filled balloon releases into South Korea causing property damage, and the resumption of anti-North Korea propaganda broadcasts via military loudspeakers. These actions have exacerbated longstanding animosities between the Koreas, with North Korea seen fortifying its border defenses.
The South Korean military’s response to recent North Korean incursions involved warning shots and broadcasting alerts. Despite these incidents, Seoul believes the intrusions were unintentional, as North Korean soldiers retreated without further escalation.
The situation underscores heightened regional tensions amid North Korea’s nuclear and missile activities and its alignment with Russia against Western pressures. South Korea’s consideration of arms support to Ukraine aligns it further with U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow, while emphasizing its commitment to regional security amid evolving geopolitical dynamics.
