South Korea issues furious response to Vladimir Putin's deal with North Korea
South Korea is angry about Vladimir Putin's agreement with North Korea and has warned that they may provide weapons to Ukraine as a result.
The Russian leader and Kim Jong Un made a promise on Wednesday to help each other if there is a war.
Global worry has increased about a deal where North Korea supplies Russia with much-needed weapons in return for economic assistance and technology transfers that may improve its nuclear and missile capabilities.
The president of South Korea criticized the agreement for mutual defense, with a spokesperson stating that it poses a danger to South Korea's safety and goes against resolutions from the United Nations Security Council.
They expressed concerns about potential retaliation by suggesting the idea of supplying arms to Ukraine to assist in defending against Russia's invasion. Up to this point, South Korea has only sent non-lethal and humanitarian assistance to Kyiv.
The leader of North Korea, Mr. Kim, declared that the strong relationship between his country and Russia is stronger now than it was during the time of the Soviet Union. He pledged to offer complete support and unity to the Russian government, military, and citizens in their efforts to carry out a military operation in Ukraine, aiming to protect sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.
As per the official North Korean news agency, the agreement specifies that in the event of one country being invaded and pushed into a state of war, the other must immediately use all available resources to provide military and other aid.
However, it also states that these actions must follow the laws of both countries and Article 51 of the UN Charter, which acknowledges a member state's ability to defend itself.
South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol's office criticized the idea of two countries, known for starting wars like the Korean War and the conflict in Ukraine, now planning to work together on military matters. They don't believe that an attack from the international community will ever occur, so the need for pre-emptive action is unwarranted.
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In the meantime, Mr. Putin is still traveling abroad, stopping in Vietnam on Thursday. During his visit, he finalized several agreements with To Lam, his Vietnamese counterpart.
The schoolchildren welcomed him with Russian and Vietnamese flags as he arrived at the Presidential Palace to meet Mr. Lam.
They both agreed to work together more closely on education, scientific research, technology, exploring for oil and gas, and improving healthcare.
They also decided to collaborate on developing a plan for a nuclear science and technology facility in Vietnam.
After the discussions, Mr Putin mentioned that both nations have a common goal of creating a strong security framework in the Asia-Pacific region. This framework would focus on avoiding the use of force and resolving conflicts peacefully, without any support for exclusive military alliances.
