Seoul: President Yoon Suk Yeol and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy have pledged to enhance security and defense industry cooperation in response to the growing military collaboration between North Korea and Russia, according to Yoon’s office.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the leaders met on Monday where President Yoon briefed Lammy on North Korea’s plans to dispatch troops to assist Russia in its conflict in Ukraine. Yoon emphasized the importance of working closely with Britain and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to address these developments. During the discussions, Yoon expressed his intentions to strengthen South Korea’s defense capabilities, especially in naval and air force sectors, with British collaboration, a proposal to which Lammy agreed.
Lammy denounced Russia’s illegal activities, including the issuance of counterfeit passports to facilitate North Korean troop movements, labeling them as severe threats to the security of both Europe and South Korea. He assured active cooperation
with South Korea to counter these threats. Additionally, Lammy highlighted Britain’s interest in advancing joint efforts in high-tech defense areas under the Pillar 2 projects of the AUKUS security partnership, which also involves the United States and Australia.
AUKUS, initiated in September 2021, focuses on two main areas: assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines and enhancing cooperation in cutting-edge technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and hypersonics. This meeting underscores the critical strategic alignment between South Korea and the UK in the face of escalating global military tensions.