South Korea’s Yoon warns of military build-up if China doesn’t keep North Korea in check
- The South Korean president warned of an influx of military assets if Beijing does not make its ‘best efforts’ to get North Korea to denuclearise
- In a wide-ranging interview, Yoon also touched upon South Korea’s role in a possible Taiwan conflict and brought up increased cooperation with Japan
In a wide-ranging interview, Yoon called on China, North Korea’s closest ally, to fulfil its responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. He said not doing so would lead to an influx of military assets to the region.
“What is sure is that China has the capability to influence North Korea, and China has the responsibility to engage in the process,” Yoon said in his office on Monday. It was up to Beijing to decide whether it would exert that influence for peace and stability, he added.
It is in China’s interest to make its “best efforts” to induce North Korea to denuclearise, he said.
“It would be extremely unwise for North Korea to conduct a seventh nuclear test,” he said.
Will US calls for China to curb North Korea fall on deaf ears?
South Korea and the US have agreed to deploy more US “strategic assets” such as aircraft carriers and long-range bombers to the area, but Yoon said he did not expect changes to the 28,500 American ground forces stationed in South Korea.
“We must respond consistently, and in lockstep with each other,” Yoon said, blaming a lack of consistency in the international response for the failure of three decades of North Korea policy.
Boosting ties and coordination with Washington is the core of Yoon’s foreign policy, a focus highlighted by the main item on his desk: a sign saying “The Buck Stops Here”, a gift from Biden.
28,500 reasons South Korea might be dragged into a conflict over Taiwan
The self-ruled island has come under increasing military and political pressure from Beijing, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland – by force if necessary.
“I am firmly opposed to any attempt to change the status quo unilaterally,” Yoon said.
When asked about any role in a Taiwan conflict for South Korea or the US troops stationed there, Yoon said the country’s forces would “consider the overall security situation” but their most imminent concern would be any North Korean military actions to take advantage of the situation.
“What is important is responding to the imminent threat surrounding us and controlling the possible threat,” he said.
Yoon has also made increasing cooperation with Japan a core goal, despite lingering legal and political disputes dating back to Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation of the Korean peninsula.
South Korea, Japan, and the US have agreed to share real time information for tracking North Korean ballistic missile tests.
Japan’s military ambitions have long been a sensitive issue in neighbouring countries, many of which were invaded by it before or during World War II.
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Now Japan faced more threats from North Korea’s missile programme, including tests that overfly Japanese islands, Yoon said.
“I believe the Japanese government cannot be asleep at the wheel with the North Korean missile flights over their territory,” he said.