SEOUL, South Korea — The leaders of South Korea and Germany on Sunday pledged extra cooperation in constructing steady industrial provide chains and addressing the challenges posed by nuclear-armed North Korea as they met in Seoul after flying in from the Group of Seven conferences in Japan.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, in a joint information convention with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, pointed to the similarities between the 2 main manufacturing nations which are depending on international commerce and mentioned a stronger provide chain partnership would assist them address “intensifying global economic instability and geopolitical conflicts.”
He mentioned the nations specifically will work to advance commerce relations in high-tech industries and clear power, together with semiconductors and hydrogen initiatives, and pursue additional alternatives in protection cooperation.
Yoon mentioned in addition they mentioned the rising menace posed by North Korea, which has test-fired round 100 missiles for the reason that begin of 2022 whereas accelerating its push to increase its nuclear arsenal. He mentioned Scholz agreed to assist keep a “consistent message to the international community that North Korea has nothing not gain from its illegal provocations,” and coordinate on diplomatic efforts to stress Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
“Germany, which was reunified 33 years ago, is a country that understands and empathizes with the issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula,” Yoon mentioned. “We will continue to work closely together (in broader efforts) to achieve North Korea’s denuclearization.”
Before his assembly with Yoon, Scholz visited the southern aspect of the closely armed border splitting the 2 Koreas and referred to as for the North to halt its testing exercise. He repeated an analogous message throughout the information convention, expressing solidarity with Seoul and calling for a simpler worldwide response towards North Korea’s missile improvement that threatens South Korea and Japan.
PHOTOS: South Korean, German leaders conform to cooperate on provide chains, North Korea
Yoon and Scholz had been among the many leaders who participated within the G7 talks in Hiroshima, which had been highlighted by an in-person look of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy because the discussions centered round countering Russia’s extended invasion of his nation.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have additionally risen for the reason that conflict in Ukraine, which North Korea has used as a distraction to ramp up its weapons testing. Moscow and Beijing have blocked U.S.-led efforts on the U.N. Security Council to strengthen punishment of Pyongyang over its latest assessments, underscoring a divide amongst everlasting members deepened by the conflict.
At the G7, Yoon targeted on elevating worldwide consciousness concerning the rising North Korean nuclear menace. The leaders issued a press release on nuclear disarmament that included condemnation of the North’s illicit weapons improvement and testing exercise.
Yoon additionally met with Zelenskyy on the margins of the summit and promised South Korean demining tools and ambulances as Seoul expands its non-lethal assist to Kyiv.
“There have been serious civilian casualties and damage (in Ukraine) because of the large number of land mines planted by the Russian military while they withdrew from (around) Kyiv. (Ukraine) has requested demining equipment and ambulances, and we are reviewing those requests first and plan on providing those supplies quickly,” Yoon mentioned on the information convention.
Without specifying, Yoon mentioned Zelenskyy throughout their assembly additionally introduced an inventory of different non-lethal provides he needs from South Korea and that Seoul was “carefully reviewing” the request.
South Korea, a rising arms exporter with a well-equipped army backed by the United States, has offered humanitarian assist and different assist to Ukraine whereas becoming a member of U.S.-led financial sanctions towards Moscow. Seoul has in a roundabout way offered arms to Ukraine, citing a long-standing coverage of not supplying weapons to nations actively engaged in battle.
It wasn’t instantly clear whether or not Zelenskyy throughout his assembly with Yoon reiterated a earlier request for South Korea to offer weapons.
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This story corrects a part of Yoon’s quote.
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