Tuesday, December 23, 2025

U.S. DNI Avril Haines in Seoul: Tackling the Russia-North Korea Military Pact

Yonhap News

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was scheduled to meet with Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) of the United States, at the presidential office in Yongsan on the afternoon of June 28.

This visit marked the first time in two years and eight months since Haines’ previous visit to South Korea in October 2021.

During the meeting, they discussed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Russia and North Korea, which includes military cooperation, and explored joint responses between South Korea and the United States.

The South Korean government’s policy on reconsidering arms support to Ukraine was likely on the agenda.

Previously on the 19th, Russia and North Korea signed a treaty in which both sides agreed to provide military assistance in the event of an invasion, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea.

In response to this cooperative movement between the two countries, the South Korean government expressed its intention to reevaluate its existing policy of not providing lethal weapons to Ukraine.

The DNI oversees 16 intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Haines is the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community.

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