Amid speculation that North Korea is sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, Russia's lower house of parliament voted to ratify a treaty with North Korea that would provide mutual assistance in the case of aggression from an outside force. The move has raised concerns in South Korea, with its spy agency claiming that thousands of North Korean soldiers are currently training in Russia and are likely to be deployed to the front lines in Ukraine soon. This development comes as Western countries accuse North Korea of supplying weapons to Russia for its offensive in Ukraine.
In a recent development in the ongoing tensions between the two Koreas, South Korea has reported that a balloon carrying trash from North Korea landed in the presidential compound in Seoul. This incident has caused further strain on the already fragile relationship between the two nations. Stay updated and informed on this issue with our 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events.
The debate over South Korea's right to reprocess nuclear fuel has been reignited in the midst of escalating tensions with North Korea. Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong of the South Korean Embassy in Washington stated that the government will discuss the issue with the new U.S. administration. This comes as North Korea continues to ramp up its nuclear weapons programs and hostile language towards South Korea. With growing internal calls for South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons, some argue that the country should at least have the reprocessing right, similar to Japan. However, this process is subject to further negotiation under the U.S.-South Korean Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation.
Senior defense officials from the US and South Korea met in Seoul to discuss and establish guidelines for their joint response to any nuclear threat from North Korea. The guidelines emphasize the importance of maintaining a credible and effective nuclear deterrent policy and posture. The meeting comes amid concerns over North Korea's continued development of nuclear arms and delivery systems, with some South Korean politicians calling for the development of their own nuclear weapons. The guidelines also outline procedures for consultation and coordination in the event of a North Korean nuclear crisis.
South and North Korea's tourism project, the Mount Kumgang tourism project, which was a symbol of economic cooperation between the two countries, has been shut down by North Korea. The nuclear country also conducted new missile tests as it deepens its ties with China. South Korea does not recognize this move and the state-run foundation supporting the project has been closed, showing that Seoul does not expect the project to be revived. This is seen as a further setback for the already tense relationship between the two Koreas.