The South Korean president threatens universal values in new conflicts and competition, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's involvement with Russia He warned the NATO summit about the mention. South Korean officials said.
President Yoon Suk-yul became the first South Korean leader to attend the NATO summit as an observer at a conference in Spain as Russian troops intensified their attacks in Ukraine.
"There is a move to deny the universal values we have protected as a new structure of competition and conflict is being formed," Yun said in a speech on Wednesday in South Korea. According to officials.
Yun said he did not identify Russia or China, but said that the international community faces complex security threats that cannot be resolved by a single country.
"He mentioned the Ukrainian War, and as most other participating countries did, he expressed concern about Russia's responsibility for the war and China's responsibility in the international community. "Unspecified officials said Thursday.
South Korea is a powerful US ally, accepting approximately 28,000 US troops. It has also built an important economic relationship with South Korea's largest trading partner, China.
Yun, like his predecessor, needs to balance these two relationships while facing a warlike North Korea that develops nuclear weapons and missiles at the same time.
Yun hopes to build relations with NATO member states in the face of unpredictable international affairs and promote international cooperation on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, South Korean officials said. Said before the summit.
South Korea's approach to NATO began with the alliance facing east towards a region called the Indo-Pacific, and Yun welcomed a new focus, officials said.
NATO, a new strategic concept announced on Wednesday, described China for the first time as a challenge to NATO's "profit, security and values". And strengthening military power.
Yun, US President Joe Biden, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also attended the NATO Summit as observers and agreed that the progress of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs poses a serious threat not only to the Korean Peninsula. did. Not only East Asia and the world.
China's state media warned South Korea and Japan attending the NATO summit and criticized the alliance's expanding partnership in Asia. North Korea said this week that NATO's involvement in the Asia-Pacific region would import angry conflicts in Europe.
Australia and New Zealand also participated in the summit, with four observers from the region. South Korean officials said the four were "exploring their own Indo-Pacific strategy."
"At its core are concerns about China and various dilemmas," officials said.
Report by Shin Hyun-hee; Edited by Robert Birsel
