South Korea said Thursday that it would consider sending arms to Ukraine, a major policy change suggested after Russia and North Korea rattled the region and beyond by signing a pact to come to each other’s defense in the event of war.
The comments from a senior presidential official came hours after North Korea’s state media released the details of the agreement, which observers said could mark the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War. It comes a time when Russia faces growing isolation over its war in Ukraine and both countries face escalating standoffs with the West.
According to the text of the deal published by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, if either country gets invaded and is pushed into a state of war, the other must deploy “all means at its disposal without delay” to provide “military and other assistance.” But the agreement also says that such actions must be in accordance with the laws of both countries and Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes a U.N. member state’s right to self-defense.
韩国周四表示，将考虑向乌克兰运送武器，这是韩国提出的一项重大政策变化。俄罗斯与朝鲜签署战争时互相防御的协议引起该地区及其他地区的不安。
就在朝鲜国家媒体公布协议细节几个小时后，一位高级总统官员发表了上述言论。观察人士称，该协议可能标志着莫斯科和平壤自冷战结束以来最紧密的联系。此时俄罗斯因乌克兰战争而面临日益孤立的局面，两国与西方的对峙也不断升级。
根据朝鲜官方媒体朝中社公布的协议文本，如果任何一国遭到入侵并陷入战争状态，另一国必须“立即部署一切可用手段”提供“军事和其他援助”。但协议还表示，此类行动必须符合两国法律以及《联合国宪章》第五十一条，该条承认联合国会员国的自卫权。
