Weseongrak: "Cautious Support for Ukraine's Weapons... Russia May Join if Korean Peninsula Crisis Occurs"

"Diplomatic Agenda at Risk"
"If Russia and North Korea Become Blood Allies, Russia May Join in Case of Korean Peninsula Contingency"

As the government is considering providing lethal weapons to Ukraine, Wi Seong-rak, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, raised his voice, saying, "The issue of weapons support is not something that can be easily decided. The implications are very significant, so it must be carefully considered."

Wi, who served as the South Korean ambassador to Russia, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 28th and said, "Our response is inevitable, but we cannot completely sever relations with Russia."

Wi Seong-rak, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea. / Photo by Jin-hyeong Kang aymsdream@

Earlier, President Yoon Suk-yeol mentioned the 'possibility of lethal weapons support.' Following a summit with Polish President Andrzej Duda on the 24th, President Yoon stated at a joint press conference, "We had a fundamental principle of not directly supplying lethal weapons, but depending on the activities of the North Korean military, we can consider being more flexible in that regard."

Regarding this, Wi said, "(If lethal weapons are supplied) North Korea's denuclearization becomes impossible. Among our diplomatic agendas, important ones are North Korea's denuclearization, peace policy on the Korean Peninsula, and pursuit of unification of the Korean Peninsula, but all three would become impossible," adding, "If we respond to the issue of North Korean troops being dispatched to Russia, we risk damaging major diplomatic agendas, so the level and steps of response must be meticulously and carefully reviewed."

Wi also emphasized that since Korea-Russia relations are at their lowest point since establishing diplomatic ties, appropriate levels of response to Russia-North Korea military cooperation are necessary to prevent a breakdown. He said, "It is true that we are in a situation where we cannot avoid countering (Russia-North Korea military cooperation), and there is also strong energy coming from NATO and the United States urging us to strongly counter," adding, "Moreover, even our government is showing movements that risk a crisis, and when these three factors combine, it could lead to an overreaction."

Regarding the benefits North Korea might gain from this troop dispatch, "There could be financial gains, as well as support in food or energy. Militarily, since North Korea supported Russia, it can receive military reciprocation and military technology from Russia," he said. "The more important part is the political and diplomatic implication: Russia and North Korea are now allies, and by participating in combat and providing support, their alliance becomes a blood alliance. Then North Korea can expect Russia to fulfill the same obligations in emergencies, and it is conceivable that Russia would intervene if a war breaks out on the Korean Peninsula," he analyzed.

Wi said, "(This participation) will help the combat experience and military strength of the North Korean army, and ultimately, it means a strong pillar supporting the Kim Jong-un regime," adding, "Ultimately, it has the significance of once again changing the power dynamics on the Korean Peninsula and its surroundings."