Ukraine should explore closer ties with South Korea in face of Russia-DPRK cooperation - expert
Such an opinion was expressed by Nataliya Butyrska, a scholar of East Asian affairs, who penned an oped for ZN.ua, reports Ukrinform.
Butyrska wrote that during her recent visit to South Korea as part of a group of representatives from Ukrainian think tanks, she participated in a series of meetings with Korean experts and lawmakers dealing with the North Korea topic.
"Most of them are inclined to believe that the DPRK has large stocks of weapons that can be sent to Russia in exchange for foreign currency, food, and basic necessities, as well as military technology... Another point of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the DPRK, South Korean expert suggest, is the production of weapons precisely for Russia," the expert noted.
In this context, Butyrska noted that the military-technical cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is a common challenge for Kyiv and Seoul as it prolongs Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine and increases military tension on the Korean Peninsula.
At the same time, the expert reported that during a meeting with representatives of South Korean military circles and parliament, the Ukrainian delegation heard that the South Korean partners never got from Ukrainian authorities a response to their appeals to provide actual evidence of Russia's use of North Korean weapons against Ukraine. It was about photographs and examination materials.
Butyrska noted that, according to South Korean interlocutors, setting up an evidence base along with close bilateral coordination can also help find arguments for Korean public and political forces that still believe in Moscow’s constructive role and oppose arms supplies to Ukraine, which significantly constrains decision-making by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration.
"So the lack of interaction on the part of the relevant Ukrainian authorities causes surprise and misunderstanding. After all, Ukrainian officials should intensify their efforts +, together with their Korean partners, to hinder the development of Russian-North Korean cooperation as much as possible, otherwise it will lead to further serious implications," the expert warned.
As reported, on January 5, North Korea launched artillery fire near the South Korean island of Yongpyong, just 10 km from the land belonging to the DPRK and a few kilometers from the maritime border line.
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said Russia's use of North Korean missiles for attacks on Ukrainian cities and its intention to purchase missiles from Iran underscore the urgency of American support to Ukraine.
