As the East Asian region was combined with Japan-led NATO with US support in a bloc confrontation, and China was in a state of confrontation with the regional alliance linking India, Russia and Iran to Central Asia, Korea came to stand at the forefront.
President Yoon Seok-yeol's joint declaration of the Korea-US summit, "Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," and the Ukrainian front connect Eurasia to Central Asia and Belarus as a block, and South Korea and Ukraine are set as the forefront at both ends of the Asia-Pacific bloc connected to NATO.
In India, the participation of Iran and Belarus was on the agenda at the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a bloc of Eurasian countries led by China, on the 4th, and it is expected to be expanded again after being ratified at the SCO summit in July in India.
A White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson told Voice of America (VOA) that "strong Korea-Japan relations support a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific" in commentary on the holding of the Korea-Japan summit on the 5th.
Regarding Prime Minister Kishida's summit with President Yoon Seok-yeol in Seoul on the 7th, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official told Reuters on the 6th that "we have many opportunities to cooperate in dealing with the North Korean threat and securing a free and open Indo-Pacific." said.
On the 4th, President Yoon Seok-yeol's office commented on Prime Minister Kishida's visit, saying, "Shuttle diplomacy between the leaders is in full swing."
A spokesperson for the US State Department commented on the 3rd, "President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida have strengthened Korea-Japan relations in a way that makes us all stronger."
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) plans to open Asia's first liaison office by next year in Tokyo, Japan, to facilitate talks with Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand security partners, Nikkei Asia reported on Monday, citing Japanese and NATO officials.
“Asia is a promising land for cooperation and development and should not become a geopolitical battleground,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Maoning on the 4th. Attempts to destroy the world, and push for bloc confrontation, require high vigilance from countries in the region," he said.
Regarding the SCO foreign ministers' meeting in India, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on the 6th that it "agreed to strengthen communication and coordination with SOC members and maintain 'unity' of the bloc."
Prior to the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India announced that 'Iran and Belarus would participate in discussions', and after the meeting, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Iran and Belarus are expected to join the SCO at the summit in New Delhi in July." The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Maldives is likely to be granted dialogue partner status before becoming a full member,” it told Reuters.
The SCO members are China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, while Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia are observer countries.
The ‘Washington Declaration’ signed by President Yoon states, “The ROK-US alliance, which began as a security partnership, has grown and expanded into a truly global alliance that upholds democratic principles, strengthens economic cooperation, and drives technological advancement. Even in the face of successive challenges, our alliance has always stood up unyieldingly and responded to changing threats on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific.” We affirm in the strongest language our commitment to maintain the combined defense posture in accordance with the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. The ROK and the United States are committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and the actions we take together will further advance this fundamental goal,” the Indo-Pacific Defense Treaty stated.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zarda tweeted before arriving in Goa, India, "Looking forward to constructive discussions with our friendly country counterparts during the visit focusing only on the SCO."
Hostilities between India and Pakistan have been going on for decades and have involved three wars, two of which were fought in the Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Regarding the Pakistan Foreign Minister's attendance at the SCO foreign ministers' meeting on the 5th in Goa, India, Reuters reported that he was "the first high-ranking Pakistani leader to visit India in nine years amid protracted tensions between nuclear-armed South Asian rivals."
Jaishankar, India's Foreign Minister, tweeted that India-China relations had "had 'detailed discussions' with Foreign Minister Qin Gang," and that "the focus is on resolving unresolved issues and ensuring peace and tranquility in the border region." reported by Reuters.
Japan led the G7 summit as the chair country in Hiroshima in July, expecting “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” to be the main agenda, and invited South Korea.
The New York Times reported on the 6th that the West’s support for the Ukraine war will weaken after the “counteroffensive in May.”
The New York Times said, “The success of the counterattack is a watershed in whether we can continue to receive military support from the West.” “Western allies, such as the United States, are an important test of whether the weapons and ammunition that have been poured into this counterattack are really effective.”
Regarding the outlook for the Ukraine match, the NYT said, “The longer the battle is, the better it is for Russia. The difference between the powers of both sides is definitely time,” he said, pointing out “next year’s US presidential election” and this “counterattack performance” as important variables.