Seoul: The South Korean president on Monday branded the military relations between North Korea and Russia as ‘illegal’ and promised ‘thorough countermeasures’ from Seoul. In a budget speech delivered to parliament by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, President Yoon Suk Yeol highlighted the threat posed by the recent developments in international security and the cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
According to Anadolu Agency, this marks the first occasion in 11 years that a sitting South Korean president has not personally presented the budget to parliament. Yoon’s remarks come amidst allegations from Seoul, supported by the United States and NATO, that North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia. Although Pyongyang has neither confirmed nor denied these claims, it has committed to supporting Moscow until it achieves victory in Ukraine, where the conflict has persisted for nearly two years and nine months.
Despite the tensions, Yoon emphasized South Korea’s trilateral security collaboration with Jap
an and the US against North Korea. In June, Russia and North Korea strengthened their ties by signing a pact to extend military aid in case of aggression by a third party. Recently, South Korea and Canada jointly urged North Korea to withdraw its troops from Russia and cease its support for Moscow in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
In response to Yoon’s stance, North Korea released a White Paper on Sunday criticizing the South Korean president’s policies as ‘disastrous,’ claiming they have exposed South Korea to the ‘danger of a nuclear war.’ The document warned that the more Yoon attempts to escalate the crisis, the deeper he will be mired in what they termed as his ‘thrice-cursed crimes.’