Seoul: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska on Monday called for further strengthening ties with South Korea through practical cooperation, especially in the arms industry, to better deal with common security concerns such as North Korea’s deepening alignment with Russia, Yonhap News Agency reported.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Shekerinska emphasized the interconnectedness between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, underscoring the importance of alliances in maintaining regional peace and stability. She highlighted the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which has been marked by the signing of a mutual defense pact last year and recent joint military displays with China.
The NATO official expressed a keen interest in enhancing the partnership with South Korea, both in political dialogue and practical cooperation. This statement was made during an interview at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition in Goyang, northwest of Seoul.
Shekerinska conveyed concerns over the military activities between North Korea and Russia, including the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia for its conflict in Ukraine and the transfer of Russian military technology to North Korea. These developments have heightened the urgency for strategic collaborations.
In response to these challenges, Shekerinska identified the arms industry as a potential area for meaningful partnership between NATO’s 32-member alliance and South Korea. She stressed the need for partnerships that are grounded in values and are practical in approach to effectively bolster deterrence and maintain peace.