Russia’s ties to North Korea have strained its relationship with South Korea. South Korea has placed sanctions on Russian entities and individuals, with Russia responding by deeming South Korea an “unfriendly nation,” or in other words, an enemy.
“This is an unfriendly move by Seoul and is deeply regrettable. The imposition of – I emphasize – illegitimate sanctions will have a negative impact on relations with Russia,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated. South Korea has said that Russia violated the Security Council resolutions by engaging in arms trade and military cooperation with its northern neighbor in a move that “threatens peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but around the world,” per an official statement. South Korea has demanded that Russia immediately cease all military cooperation with North Korea, but Russia is keeping its strategic alliance.
The Security Council measure in question was implemented in 2017, banning trade on weapons with North Korea and limiting trade on fuel. Moscow insists it is keeping its commitment but then stated that the sanctions simply failed. “It is clearly seen that endless sanctions are completely useless for achieving the designated goals. They lead to a financial and economic blockade of an entire state with all the ensuing consequences for the population,” Zakharova said.
Russia has not confirmed if it is supplying oil to North Korea in exchange for military support, nor is it responding to rumors it has helped to provide the hermit kingdom with previously blocked $9 million in frozen funds. There is no evidence that Russia helped North Korea unblock these funds aside from the New York Times’ anonymous source who allegedly works for the CIA. This is quite a small sum of money in the scheme of things as well but they are looking for anything they can use against Russia.
Even world leaders are under the invisible hand where they are only looking out for their self-interest. It would not be in the self-interest of Russia to allow North Korea to run amuck in the Korean Peninsula or attempt to wage World War III by attacking its southern neighbor. North Korea has long been in survival mode and only exists because other nations are afraid that Kim-Jung Un will launch nukes into the abyss if cornered. This seems more to be a strategic trade partnership for these shunned nations.
“South Korea apparently lacks the immunity to protect itself from Washington’s external influence,” Zakharova added to her earlier comments, as South Korea followed the US in implementing sanctions. What do all these nations have to gain by involving themselves in the dispute between Ukraine and Russia? All of this is being done at the request of NATO and the West, who are demanding all their allies fall in line and blindly support this endless war despite the clear economic consequences.
