Stoltenberg Secretary-General "Efforts to Expand Cooperation in Cyber Defense and New Technologies"
North Korea Extremely Cautious About Stoltenberg Secretary-General's Visit to South Korea
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 30th urged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to continue playing an active role in deterring North Korea's reckless provocations.
President Yoon made the remarks during a meeting with Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, who is visiting Korea, according to a written briefing by Kim Eun-hye, Senior Secretary for Public Relations.
First, President Yoon and Secretary General Stoltenberg exchanged views on various issues including Korea-NATO relations, Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy, and the North Korean nuclear issue.
President Yoon said, "As North Korea continues to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and escalate provocations, I ask the Secretary General and NATO to maintain an active role in deterring North Korea's reckless provocations."
He also evaluated the rapidly developing Korea-NATO relationship since attending the NATO summit in June last year and noted that the NATO delegation in Korea was established in November last year, expressing hope that cooperation would further expand through this.
In particular, President Yoon requested Secretary General Stoltenberg's attention and role to ensure the successful outcome of the Korea-NATO Individual Tailored Partnership Program (ITPP), which encompasses cooperation in new areas such as cyber, new technologies, climate change, and defense industry.
Regarding Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy announced in December last year, President Yoon emphasized, "This strategy shares many commonalities with NATO in that it values the rule of law and international norms based on the solidarity of freedom and human rights. It is necessary to activate cooperation during the implementation of the strategy."
Secretary General Stoltenberg expressed strong agreement, highly appreciating Korea's independent Indo-Pacific strategy, and pledged to make special efforts to expand cooperation between Korea and NATO in areas such as cyber defense and new technologies.
He also regarded Korea's recent expansion of defense industry cooperation with NATO allies as encouraging.
Furthermore, Secretary General Stoltenberg explained the current situation in Ukraine and expressed gratitude for Korea's continued support, emphasizing the need to prevent the wrong message that military invasion is tolerated from being ingrained in the international community.
President Yoon responded that he would continue to do his utmost in cooperation with the international community to help the people of Ukraine.
Secretary General Stoltenberg invited President Yoon to the NATO summit to be held in Lithuania this July, to which President Yoon expressed gratitude and said he would consider attending.
Meanwhile, North Korea has voiced criticism of Stoltenberg's visit to Korea.
On the 30th, the Korean Central News Agency published an article titled "Is the NATO Secretary General's behavior an incitement to establish an Asia-Pacific NATO?" written by Kim Dong-myung, a researcher at the North Korean International Political Studies Association, who made the statement the previous day, condemning it as "a confrontation act bringing the dark clouds of a 'new Cold War' to the Asia-Pacific (hereafter APAC) region and a prelude to war."
North Korea, accused of supplying missiles and rockets to Russia, is extremely wary of NATO expanding its operational scope to East Asia through cooperation with Korea and Japan.
Researcher Kim claimed, "He is a senior official of a military organization that has turned Ukraine into a proxy war battlefield," and added, "The very fact that he flies into the APAC region of the Eastern Hemisphere, thousands of miles away from his operational area, raises concerns."
He further argued, "At a time when the Ukraine crisis is reaching a new turning point due to the U.S. and Western decision to provide tanks, the NATO Secretary General flying to South Korea and Japan is again persistently fueling the 'China threat theory,' repeatedly emphasizing the necessity of establishing an 'Asia-Pacific NATO,' and is passively supporting Ukraine's military aid. It is clear as day that they will strongly criticize and pressure them."
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