Yoon: "We will neutralize and block illegal military and economic cooperation between Russia and Buk"

Keynote Speech at NATO Public Forum Indo-Pacific Session

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who visited the United States to attend the 75th NATO Summit, attended the official welcome dinner reception at the White House in Washington DC on the 10th (local time) with First Lady Kim Keon-hee. On the balcony, he greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska. To the right of First Lady Zelenska is Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is visiting Washington D.C., USA to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, stated on the 11th (local time), "The war in Ukraine and the cooperation between Russia and North Korea have further solidified the cooperation between the Republic of Korea and NATO," adding, "The Republic of Korea will neutralize and block the illegal military and economic cooperation between Russia and North Korea through the Korea-U.S. alliance, Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, and close coordination with NATO member countries."

That afternoon, President Yoon attended the NATO Public Forum, co-hosted by NATO and five think tanks from the U.S. and Europe, and appeared as the sole speaker in the Indo-Pacific session. This is the first time a Korean president has spoken as a speaker at the NATO Public Forum.

President Yoon said, "I am very pleased to meet you here in Washington D.C., where NATO was founded 75 years ago," and began by saying, "President Harry Truman, who launched the Marshall Plan and led the founding of NATO, said that the United States has an obligation to 'protect all free people,' and NATO is 'cooperation among neighbors' to fulfill this."

He mentioned, "Just one year after NATO was established, in 1950, the Korean War broke out due to a surprise invasion by North Korea supported by the Soviet Union," adding, "The communist totalitarian forces began to reveal their expansionist ambitions not only in Europe but also in Asia." Among the 12 NATO member countries at the time, 10 gathered under the United Nations flag, and with the blood they shed fighting alongside us, the Republic of Korea was able to protect its freedom and prevent the communist takeover of the Korean Peninsula.

President Yoon expressed, "On behalf of the people of the Republic of Korea, I sincerely thank the NATO family who willingly dedicated themselves for our freedom," and emphasized, "NATO, having witnessed the Korean War as a flashpoint where the Cold War could escalate into a hot war, began expanding its membership and building integrated response capabilities, developing the ability to address new challenges and threats arising from changes in the times. Through these efforts, NATO has grown into the world's largest security alliance with 32 member countries today."

He particularly criticized, "Now, 35 years after the end of the Cold War, we face new challengers," stating, "They deny the international order based on universal values and norms. They incite their own people to harbor hostility toward the outside world and disguise this as patriotic nationalism."

President Yoon said, "Dictatorial powers maintain their authority by restricting the freedom of their citizens and binding them within surveillance systems," and pointed out, "The collusion among forces that advocate attempts to change the status quo by force is a direct challenge to the peace and prosperity built by the free world."

He explained, "Security in both Europe and Asia is currently under threat," and added, "I believe the reason why the four Indo-Pacific partner (IP4) countries have attended the NATO summit for three consecutive years is precisely because of this."

Freedom and Prosperity Are Never Given for Free... "Allies Must Unite"

He continued, "Freedom and prosperity are never given for free. The only way to block attempts to change the status quo through coercion is for allies and friendly countries to possess overwhelming power and unite," emphasizing, "We must make them clearly realize that their reckless challenges will result not only in failure but also in greater suffering."

President Yoon said, "The Republic of Korea, which miraculously rose from the ruins of war with the help of the free world, has achieved growth and prosperity through liberal democracy and a market economy, and has now become a key member of the free world," promising, "The Republic of Korea will firmly hold the hands of allies and friendly countries based on the Indo-Pacific strategy, which encompasses the three visions of freedom, peace, and prosperity, and the three principles of cooperation: inclusion, trust, and reciprocity, and work together to protect peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic regions."

He explained, "The United Nations Command, with a 74-year history involving countries from the Indo-Pacific region and Europe, is a solid foundation that, together with the strengthened Korea-U.S. alliance, neutralizes North Korea's nuclear missile threats and maintains peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the region," adding, "The navies of Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada in the Indo-Pacific region, and the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands in Europe have been closely cooperating at sea to monitor the implementation of UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea."

He also stated, "We will continue comprehensive support for ending the war in Ukraine and for Ukraine's peace and reconstruction," and added, "Through the Individual Tailored Partnership Program (ITPP) signed with NATO last year in Vilnius, we will actively promote 'focused cooperation projects' with IP4 partner countries, jointly responding to complex security threats involving cyber, information psychological warfare, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital domains."

Furthermore, he said, "The Republic of Korea will act responsibly for a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific and beyond," and added, "Together with NATO, Indo-Pacific partners, and everyone present here, I hope we can open a safer and brighter future for all."