U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concerns among United Nations member states overseeing the Korean War armistice.
According to Austin, there is growing apprehension that China and Russia are aiding North Korea in enhancing its military capabilities, allowing Pyongyang to bypass UN sanctions.
During a meeting in Seoul attended by Austin and defense officials from 17 countries forming the UN Command (UNC), a unified response to potential aggression or attacks by North Korea against South Korea was pledged.
Austin emphasized worries about China (PRC) and Russia assisting North Korea in evading UN Security Council sanctions.
Austin highlighted the increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, expressing the United States’ concern.
The U.S. has accused North Korea of supplying military equipment to Russia for its conflict with Ukraine and claimed that Moscow is providing technical military support to North Korea.
In response to these allegations, Russia and North Korea have denied engaging in any arms deals, with leaders from both nations pledging closer military ties in a meeting held in Russia’s far east in September.
China, North Korea’s closest ally, maintains that it is adhering to international obligations, dismissing accusations of non-compliance.
A joint statement between the UNC and South Korea condemned North Korea’s “unlawful” nuclear and ballistic missile programs, emphasizing their unity in the face of potential hostilities.
South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik warned North Korea against aggressive acts, highlighting that attacking a UN member state would contradict the principles of the UN Command.
Shin stated that if North Korea were to invade South Korea again, it would be contradictory, given North Korea’s UN membership.
He also warned that countries supporting North Korea during the Korean War would face grave consequences from the international community.
The UNC, established in 1950, was mandated to restore peace and enforce the armistice while serving as a communication channel with North Korea.
North Korea, however, has called the UNC a “U.S. tool for confrontation” and an “illegal war organization” that should be dissolved to prevent a new war on the Korean peninsula.
Austin and Shin agreed to revise a bilateral security agreement aimed at deterring North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
They also announced plans to enhance joint drills and cooperate with Japan to better prepare for any potential North Korean attacks, while acknowledging the importance of dialogue as a path toward peace on the Korean peninsula.
Currently, joint naval drills between the U.S. and South Korea are underway off the east coast of the peninsula, including anti-submarine exercises.
US And China Reestablish Military Talks To Defuse Tensions After Summit
