South Korea has summoned the Russian ambassador to protest Russia's new defense pact with North Korea, amid escalating border tensions. The agreement, announced earlier this week, promises mutual defense assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang, raising alarms in Seoul. South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun emphasized that such cooperation violates UN Security Council resolutions and threatens South Korea's security. He urged Moscow to cease its military support for Pyongyang.
The situation at the border remains tense, with South Korea's military firing warning shots to repel North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the land border for the third time this month. This incursion followed a threat from Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after South Korean activists sent balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. The leafleting campaign, led by defector Park Sang-Hak, aims to undermine Kim Jong Un’s regime by reaching North Korean civilians with foreign media and propaganda.
Amid these developments, South Korea has resumed anti-North Korea broadcasts using military loudspeakers, further heightening tensions. In response to previous leafleting campaigns, North Korea has launched balloons carrying trash into South Korea, causing property damage. Kim Yo Jong has hinted that such actions could become the North’s standard response, warning that Seoul's activities are creating a prelude to a dangerous situation.
In light of the new defense pact and rising tensions, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa. The diplomats agreed that the Russia-North Korea agreement poses a serious threat to regional peace and stability, and they vowed to strengthen trilateral coordination to address the challenges posed by the alignment between Moscow and Pyongyang. Meanwhile, South Korea is considering its response, hinting at potentially increasing support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The situation at the border remains tense, with South Korea's military firing warning shots to repel North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the land border for the third time this month. This incursion followed a threat from Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after South Korean activists sent balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. The leafleting campaign, led by defector Park Sang-Hak, aims to undermine Kim Jong Un’s regime by reaching North Korean civilians with foreign media and propaganda.
Amid these developments, South Korea has resumed anti-North Korea broadcasts using military loudspeakers, further heightening tensions. In response to previous leafleting campaigns, North Korea has launched balloons carrying trash into South Korea, causing property damage. Kim Yo Jong has hinted that such actions could become the North’s standard response, warning that Seoul's activities are creating a prelude to a dangerous situation.
In light of the new defense pact and rising tensions, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa. The diplomats agreed that the Russia-North Korea agreement poses a serious threat to regional peace and stability, and they vowed to strengthen trilateral coordination to address the challenges posed by the alignment between Moscow and Pyongyang. Meanwhile, South Korea is considering its response, hinting at potentially increasing support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
