On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated, “I think that the announcement of the end of martial law indicates South Korea’s ongoing commitment to the rule of law.”
During a press conference at the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Ruette responded to a question about whether the ongoing political turmoil in South Korea could impact NATO-South Korea cooperation regarding the deployment of North Korean troops.
He emphasized, “Republic of Korea, is an important partner to NATO, and therefore we are monitoring developments closely of what is happening now in Seoul and in the wider South Korea.” Rutte added, “South Korea is a strong supporter of Ukraine, and I expect it will remain so.”
Addressing the issue of North Korean troops being deployed to Russia, Rutte pointed out, ” Russia is providing North Korea with support for its missile and nuclear programs. These developments could destabilize the Korean Peninsula and even threaten the United States.” This marks NATO’s first direct mention of the cost Russia paid since confirming the deployment of North Korean troops.
NATO is currently strengthening its cooperation with Indo-Pacific partner countries (IP4), including South Korea, to respond to the growing alliance between Russia, China, and North Korea.
Meanwhile, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU’s diplomatic arm, also issued a separate statement on the same day. The EEAS welcomed South Korea’s lifting of martial law and reaffirmed its close strategic partnership with South Korea, emphasizing shared values of common interests, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
