NATO Secretary General "Please Provide Military Support to Ukraine"

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), urged military support for the Ukraine war.

During his visit to Korea, Secretary General Stoltenberg made these remarks at a special lecture held on the 30th at the Choi Jong-hyun Academy titled "The Republic of Korea and NATO: Seeking to Strengthen Partnership in an Increasingly Risky World," noting that some countries have reversed policies banning arms exports to warring states.

He expressed gratitude for Korea's economic support to Ukraine and emphasized, "I urge Korea to take specific action on military support." While adding, "Ultimately, it is a decision Korea must make," he also mentioned, "Some NATO allies have changed their policies of not exporting weapons to warring countries."

Specifically citing examples such as Germany, Sweden, and Norway, he pointed out that these countries changed their policies because "they realized that this is the only way to support democracy today, help Ukraine win, and create conditions for lasting peace."

At Meeting with Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop: “Support for the Korean Government’s Efforts”

The Korean government maintains the position that while it has provided economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, lethal weapon support is not possible.

Secretary General Stoltenberg, after meeting with Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, stated, "North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and missile provocations violate UN Security Council resolutions and pose a serious threat to international peace," adding, "NATO will continue to support the Korean government’s efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula."

Meanwhile, North Korea’s state media, the Korean Central News Agency, published an article titled “Is the NATO Secretary General’s Actions Encouraging the Establishment of an Asian Version of NATO?” by Kim Dong-myung, a researcher at the North Korean International Politics Research Society.

Researcher Kim targeted Secretary General Stoltenberg, calling him "a senior official of a military organization that has turned Ukraine into a proxy war battlefield," and claimed, "The very fact that he flies to the Asia-Pacific region of the Eastern Hemisphere, thousands of miles away from his operational area, raises concerns."