Presidential Office: Condemnation of North Korea-Russia Military Ties Reflects Established Stance... Not Contrary to Tension Reduction

The Office of the President stated on June 13 (local time) that the recent joint statement by South Korea and the European Union (EU) condemning the military alignment between North Korea and Russia reflects "the position we have maintained so far."

A senior official from the Office of the President made this remark at a briefing in Rome, Italy, where President Lee Jae-myung is on a state visit, telling reporters, "The EU does have somewhat stronger views," but reaffirmed the existing stance.

President Lee Jae-myung, Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, are leaving the press conference room after a joint press briefing at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on June 10 (local time). June 11, 2026, Yonhap News Agency. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On June 10, after a summit in Brussels, President Lee, Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, adopted a joint statement strongly condemning the "illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea." The statement also included language that North Korea will never be recognized as a nuclear-armed state.

This official explained, "The positions on military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as well as on North Korean human rights, are simply a reiteration of the positions the Korean government has already made public." The same, he added, applies to the North Korean nuclear issue: "There is nothing new in this statement."

He further stated, "I do not believe this will newly burden the relationship between Russia and North Korea. It is simply a summary of the positions we have previously declared." He especially emphasized, "While I cannot disclose all the details of our consultations, there are many stances held by the EU that are even stronger than ours."

Additionally, the official rebutted the suggestion that their firm principles on the North Korean nuclear issue are inconsistent with the approach of easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, saying, "That is not the case." He continued, "Those two are always simultaneous goals—we clarify our principles in pursuing denuclearization, while also seeking to establish peace and reduce tensions."

Meanwhile, in response to a question about whether a South Korea-U.S. summit could be held when President Lee visits France for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, the official answered, "If an opportunity arises, a meeting could take place, but it is difficult to comment on the likelihood at this time."

Regarding the matter of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, the official stated, "We do not possess detailed information," but noted, "There do appear to be moves toward a ceasefire agreement. Both sides seem to be moving toward a ceasefire."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.