On 20 June, South Korea has strongly condemned the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed by the leaders of Russia and North Korea this week, stating that it violates United Nations sanctions, AP reports. In response, Seoul's presidential office said In response to the deal, South Korea said it will review the possibility of supplying weapons to Ukraine, a senior official told Yonhap, according to Reuters.
The agreement, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during Putin's visit to Pyongyang, pledges mutual defense assistance in the event that either country is invaded and engaged in war. It revives a Cold War-era pact between the two nations.
"The government clearly emphasizes that any cooperation that directly or indirectly helps North Korea increase its military power is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and is subject to monitoring and sanctions by the international community," the Seoul's presidential office's statement reads, adding that such violation would worsen Seoul's relations with Moscow.
South Korea, a key US ally, has so far provided humanitarian aid and other non-lethal support to Ukraine while joining international sanctions against Russia over its invasion. But it has refrained from directly providing arms to Ukraine, citing a policy of not supplying weapons to active conflict zones.
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- Reuters: US announces new sanctions over North Korea-Russia arms transfers
