South Korea Raises Concerns Over North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation at EU-Asia Meeting

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin expressed concerns about the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia during a meeting with foreign ministers from the European Union and key countries in the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasized the need to enhance security cooperation between the two regions.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Park attended the 'EU-Indo-Pacific Foreign Ministers' Meeting' held on September 21 in New York, coinciding with the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting included foreign ministers and senior representatives from South Korea, Australia, India, Japan, and the EU. Participants discussed ways to respond to the growing uncertainties in the international security environment, focusing on 'effective multilateralism and stronger security cooperation.'

Minister Park highlighted the collaborative efforts between South Korea and the EU, noting their adoption of a security and defense partnership in 2024 and the hosting of two security and defense dialogues to jointly address global security threats. He expressed concern over the deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia, urging for a strengthened security collaboration between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region.

On the same day, Minister Park also attended the 30th MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, Australia) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where discussions centered on UN reform and cooperation among middle powers. MIKTA is a regional consultative group of middle powers.

He emphasized the necessity of reforming the entire UN system, including the Security Council, to effectively respond to changes in the international community. In light of increasing uncertainties, he called for MIKTA to achieve concrete results in areas of mutual interest, such as artificial intelligence and trade.

Member countries agreed to leverage MIKTA's strengths as a consultative group of middle powers connecting different regions to seek practical cooperation in addressing international issues.

Meanwhile, the five foreign ministers adopted the 'MIKTA Vision Declaration' and a joint statement aimed at protecting humanitarian personnel and activities from misinformation, disinformation, and harmful discourse. This reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reforming the international trade system, and protecting humanitarian activities.