S. Korea, EU Leaders Condemn NK-Russia Military Cooperation

By Park Boram

BRUSSELS, June 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and leaders of the European Union (EU) on Wednesday strongly condemned military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, calling it illegal and a factor enabling Russia to continue its war on Ukraine.

The condemnation came in a joint statement adopted during Lee's summit talks with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, president of the European Council, held at the EU headquarters in Brussels.

The two sides condemned assistance by third parties, especially North Korea, that they said enables Russia to continue its aggression against Ukraine, according to the joint statement.

"We strongly condemn Russia-DPRK illegal military cooperation," the joint statement said. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"We urge Russia and the DPRK to immediately cease all such activities and abide by the United Nations Charter and all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions," it added.

The leaders also expressed "grave concerns" over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

The leaders urged North Korea to promptly return to full compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and a safeguard agreement under the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"The DPRK will never be accepted as a nuclear-weapon state under the NPT or have any other special status in that regard," the joint statement said, calling on all U.N. members to implement sanctions against the country.

The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, while stressing the importance of improving human rights conditions in North Korea.

Regarding China and Taiwan, Lee and the EU leaders reaffirmed their "support for the freedom of navigation and overflight, including in the South China Sea, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."

"We stress the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and oppose unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific," the leaders said in their statement.

Additionally, they stressed the importance of freedom of navigation and the unimpeded passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the need to observe relevant international laws.