President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands during their meeting in Washington, D.C., Wednesday (local time), on the sidelines of the 2024 NATO summit. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol and the leaders of NATO condemned the enhanced military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which they viewed as posing a greater threat to not only South Korea, but also the international community.

Their joint concerns and protest came during Yoon's meetings with some of the leaders of the countries participating in the 2024 NATO summit in Washington, D.C., as well as in the joint declaration announced by the NATO member states, Wednesday (local time).

Yoon, who is attending the NATO gathering as the head of Indo-Pacific Partners 4 (IP4) along with Japan, Australia and New Zealand, shared his concerns over Moscow and Pyongyang's strengthened military and economic partnership, during a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

"Russia and North Korea recently signed a comprehensive strategic partnership and are speeding up economic ties, and these moves are causing serious concerns over security of not only East Asia but also the whole world," Yoon said.

Yoon's comments follow Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's June summit, during which they agreed to provide military assistance without delay to each other if one of them is attacked.

Yoon emphasized the importance of maintaining trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, Japan, and the U.S., as well as with NATO countries.

"I hope South Korea and Japan, in close cooperation with NATO member countries, will strengthen our unified response, demonstrating that the security of the North Atlantic and Northeast Asia is inseparable," Yoon said.

"The participation of South Korea and Japan in the NATO summit, as part of the IP4, for three consecutive years carries significant strategic implications amid the increasingly severe international security situation," Yoon noted.

Kishida also expressed grave concerns over the growing Russia-North Korea military cooperation that is posing threats to regional security, according to the presidential office.

Yoon and Kishida agreed to jointly address any potential challenges through close coordination with the international community, the office said.

U.S. President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stand with visiting heads of state and other guests at the South Lawn of the White House before attending a state dinner at the NATO 75th anniversary summit celebration in Washington, D.C., Wednesday (local time). AFP-Yonhap

Washington Summit Declaration

The NATO leaders also issued a joint declaration, strongly condemning North Korea's weapons exports to Russia.

Their response come as the North is expected to increase its arms supply to Russia to assist its invasion of Ukraine — although Moscow and Pyongayng deny such provisions — following their enhanced partnership.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran are fuelling Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine by providing direct military support to Russia, such as munitions and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), which seriously impacts Euro-Atlantic security and undermines the global non-proliferation regime," the Washington Summit Declaration read. DPRK is the official name of North Korea.

"We strongly condemn the DPRK's exports of artillery shells and ballistic missiles, which are in violation of numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions, and note with great concern the deepening ties between the DPRK and Russia," the statement added.

The leaders also urged China to cease all its support to Russia's war effort, saying China's strategic partnership with Russia is causing a threat to the rule-based international order.

From left, Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon, South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee, President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska and Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida pose for a photo at the White House, Wednesday (local time). Yonhap

Yoon also held bilateral meetings with the leaders of six countries — Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Finland.

During his meetings with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Yoon stressed close security cooperation, emphasizing that North Korea's threats extend beyond the Korean Peninsula and affect the security of the Indo-Pacific as well as Europe.

Besides reaffirming the mutual security commitments, the South Korean president also discussed defense cooperation with Germany and Canada, while solidifying semiconductor collaboration with the Netherlands.