EDITORIAL | North Korea Abetting Russian Aggression is an Int'l Crisis

Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, and North Korea supports it. Now, military cooperation between the two aggressors has progressed to a new level. Pyongyang recently dispatched thousands of North Korean soldiers to Russia. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken predicts that Russia could send them into combat against the Ukrainian military "within a few days." 

Up to 8,000 North Korean soldiers were reportedly deployed to Kursk Oblast in western Russia. It is an area partially occupied by Ukraine. There is also concern that North Korean military units could be sent to invade Ukrainian territory. If that happens, North Korea would become the second aggressor nation in the war, a development which is totally unacceptable.

North Korea should immediately stop sending troops and exporting arms and ammunition to Russia. The international community needs to feel a sense of crisis and apply greater pressure on Pyongyang.

Japan's Ambassador to the United Nations Kazuyuki Yamazaki condemned North Korea's involvement in the invasion of Ukraine during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. It was the right thing to do. Yamazaki said, "The situation in Ukraine will only worsen if North Korea becomes an accomplice to Russian aggression." 

In Asia, North Korean Missile Provocation

Meanwhile, on October 31, North Korea launched what it said was a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The projectile landed in the Sea of ​​Japan, in waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. 

The ICBM had a higher-angled lofted trajectory than normal, achieving the longest flight time and altitude to date for a North Korean missile launch. Technological improvements to reach this level appear to have come through Russia-North Korea cooperation.

In June, Russia and North Korea signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership treaty" that includes mutual military assistance in the event of an emergency. The military alliance has grown rapidly, with North Korea supplying Russia with artillery shells and ballistic missiles. 

Now North Korea is also dispatching troops to help make up for the more than 600,000 casualties Russia has suffered during its invasion of Ukraine. Moscow is likely providing quid pro quo in the form of sophisticated nuclear and missile technology that North Korea sorely desires.

Advertisement

Quid Pro Quo for North Korea

It is believed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also wants Russian troops to help him in the event of an emergency on the Korean Peninsula. The threat posed by this Russian-North Korean military cooperation extends to Japan, the US, and South Korea. Moreover, it includes all of Europe, including Ukraine. 

For Japan, threats from the north have increased, emanating from Russia as well as North Korea. Japan must also prepare to address a potential Taiwan contingency or other emergency to the southwest. It is critically important for the administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to explain to the nation the current harsh reality that confronts Japan. 

Some experts speculate that North Korea is also about to conduct its seventh nuclear test. That is all the more reason for increased vigilance. 

RELATED:

• INTERVIEW | Unmasking North Korea with Dr Kim Yeoul-soo
• Speaking Out | Reality of North Korean Participation in Ukraine War
• North Korean IT Technicians: Tools in Pyongyang's Dirty Work
  
  

(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun