South Korea Responds to EU's Statement Condemning North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation

South Korea's Blue House stated that the European Union's recent joint statement condemning military cooperation between North Korea and Russia does not represent a new position for the South Korean government.

A senior official from the Blue House spoke to reporters in Rome on June 13, saying, "The stance on military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as well as on North Korean human rights, is merely a reflection of the positions already articulated by the South Korean government."

On June 10, following a summit in Brussels, President Lee Jae-myung, António Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, issued a joint statement that strongly condemned illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and asserted that North Korea would never be recognized as a nuclear-armed state under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The Blue House official, who accompanied President Lee on his European tour, dismissed the notion that the statement introduced any new content regarding North Korea's nuclear issues, stating, "There is nothing new here."

He added, "While the EU may hold somewhat stronger opinions, the statement reflects our existing positions. Some may argue that expressing a firm principle on North Korea's nuclear issues while mentioning the need to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula is contradictory, but that is not the case."

He emphasized that denuclearization and the establishment of peace are simultaneous goals and expressed confidence that the statement would not create new burdens in relations with Russia or North Korea.

Regarding speculation that a peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran is nearing completion, he noted, "We do not have detailed information, but there seems to be a trend toward approaching a ceasefire agreement, and both sides appear to be moving toward a truce."

The official remarked, "It seems they are finalizing the wording, and the provisions under discussion do not differ significantly from our existing predictions, covering issues such as nuclear matters, uranium enrichment, and the Strait of Hormuz."

As President Lee is scheduled to visit France for the G7 summit soon, he was asked whether a meeting with President Donald Trump could take place. The official replied, "If the opportunity arises, dialogue could occur, but it is difficult to comment on the likelihood of that happening at this time."