Blinken Raises Alarms Over North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation

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.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed deep concerns about the burgeoning military cooperation between North Korea and Russia during his visit to South Korea, as reported by media outlets on November 9, 2023. Blinken, alongside South Korea’s Foreign Minister Park Jin, highlighted the “profound” nature of their worries, particularly in light of recent arms and technology transfers they allege are occurring between the two nations.

In a series of high-level talks, Blinken and Park discussed the implementation of an extended deterrence strategy to address potential threats emanating from North Korea and to deepen strategic cooperation with Japan. This strategy encompasses sharing real-time missile warning data and conducting trilateral defense exercises aimed at countering North Korea’s missile programs and cyber activities.

The United States, South Korea, and Japan have openly condemned what they claim is a significant flow of military equipment from North Korea to Russia. Despite both North Korea and Russia denying any formal arms deals, their leaders have committed to closer military ties, as evidenced by a meeting in Russia’s Far East this September.

“Abandon plans to launch a spy satellite”

Amid these developments, Park and Blinken jointly called on North Korea to abandon plans to launch a spy satellite—a plan that has already seen two failed attempts this year. South Korea’s intelligence suggests that North Korea is in the advanced stages of this endeavor, presumably with Russia’s technical support.

Furthermore, the growing military collaboration comes as North Korea designated November 18 as “missile industry day,” commemorating the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile last year, putting South Korean forces on high alert.

Blinken’s visit to South Korea, the first by a U.S. Secretary of State in over two years, forms part of a wider Asia tour, signaling U.S. commitment to regional security amidst global tensions. Following engagements in the Middle East, where Blinken addressed the conflict in Gaza, his tour underscores a strategic pivot to the Indo-Pacific, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine overshadowing Washington’s efforts.

Military nexus between North Korea and Russia

Blinken has pointed out the dual concern of North Korean military equipment allegedly being supplied to Russia for use in Ukraine, and in turn, Russia providing North Korea with technical support.

This military nexus between North Korea and Russia has prompted serious concerns regarding global non-proliferation regimes and the security of the Korean Peninsula. Blinken emphasized that this constitutes a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions and poses a direct challenge to efforts aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile advancements.

In a related context, during a meeting in Japan, G7 foreign ministers, including Blinken, condemned the transfer of arms from North Korea to Russia, viewing it as a breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Moreover, the ministers called for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas conflict to facilitate the delivery of aid to civilians in Gaza.

The discussions between Blinken and Park also covered North Korea’s endeavors to launch a spy satellite, urging a halt to such activities that could further destabilize regional security.

As these international dynamics continue to unfold, Blinken’s tour is seen as a crucial effort to reinforce U.S. alliances and address the multifaceted security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sources: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat and Reuters