US, South Korea ‘Distrust Information on Deploying Troops to North Korea’, Yoon Seok-yeol ‘Elevates Freedom and Prosperity Strategy’
While the US State Department showed distrust in South Korea’s ‘Information on Deploying Troops to North Korea’, President Yoon Seok-yeol announced the ‘Elevation of the Freedom and Prosperity Strategy Alliance’.
On the 22nd, in response to the question ‘Does the US not trust the information of the South Korean government?’ at a regular briefing, US State Department Senior Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “When we speak on behalf of the US on such matters, we want to provide the most up-to-date and accurate assessment after completing the relevant deliberation process,” and revealed the ‘5-day deliberation and distrust process of South Korean information’ as the US’s own information judgment is given priority.
On the 23rd, in his congratulatory speech at the ‘US Presidential Forum,’ President Yoon said, “The solidarity of the South Korea-US alliance was further strengthened after my state visit to the US in April last year,” and announced, “The South Korea-US alliance, which has supported the freedom and prosperity of the Republic of Korea as the central axis of our diplomacy, has been elevated to a global comprehensive strategic alliance.”
In a briefing, Deputy Spokesperson Patel said about South Korean intelligence, “It’s not about trust,” and “We have a close and important cooperative relationship with South Korea, but when we speak on behalf of the United States, we want to provide the most up-to-date and accurate assessment after completing the relevant review process,” according to Voice of America (VOA).
In her commentary on South Korea’s announcement of its “review of offensive weapons support,” Deputy Spokesperson Patel stated, “I would defer to the Republic of Korea to speak to its own issues regarding its security assistance to Ukraine.”
VOA reported that “Deputy Spokesperson Patel did not comment on the South Korean government’s consideration of sending a monitoring team to the Ukrainian battlefield to investigate North Korean military capabilities, saying, “It’s a matter for South Korea to decide sovereignly.”
VOA then stated that “she avoided a direct answer to a question about whether additional sanctions against North Korea were being discussed with South Korea.” Chief Spokesperson Patel continued, “At the center of this if these developments are true, it would certainly be incredibly dangerous,” and added, “That is why at the core of this is continuing to consult with our allies and partners of which ROK would certainly be a part of that.” He added, “South Korea is part of the alliance.”
VOA reported that day that <The South Korean government held an emergency National Security Council (NSC) standing committee meeting on the 22nd regarding North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia and called for the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops, stating that it would respond firmly together with the international community> and <The South Korean presidential office stated that depending on how the situation develops, it could consider providing defensive weapons to Ukraine, and eventually even ‘offensive weapons’>.
On the 22nd, South Korean media reported that an “anonymous senior official in the presidential office” stated in a briefing regarding the possibility of providing weapons to Ukraine, “We may consider providing defensive weapons while looking at scenarios step by step, and if (Russia and North Korea’s actions) seem to have gone too far, we may also consider providing offensive weapons.”
A senior official in the presidential office stated to the Chosun Ilbo on the 22nd that the National Intelligence Service’s disclosure of information on the status of North Korea’s troop deployment and the details of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea “is the result of information gathered and shared over a long period of time with Ukraine, our ally, the United States, and other friendly countries.”
The official continued to state to the Chosun Ilbo that “the current position of the US government in terms of policy has nothing to do with the objectivity of the information,” and that “(the US government) will also make a statement in the future.”
In his congratulatory speech at the Central Forum on the “US Presidential Election and the Korea-US Alliance” at the Four Seasons Hotel, President Yoon said, “The Korea-US alliance is not a convenient contractual relationship that meets and leaves simply for profit,” and announced the National Security Office Director’s speech in response to his remarks, saying, “Korea is no longer a one-sided beneficiary of the alliance. It has established itself as a key partner of the US that responsibly fulfills its role and contributes to mutual national interests.”
The 155mm shells that became the subject of controversy in the Ukraine arms aid were not directly exportable by Korea, so the indirect structure of “supporting to the US, then providing US inventory to Ukraine” was under review.