BRUSSELS, July 5 (Yonhap) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will discuss ways with South Korea to build practical cooperation related to Ukraine, cyber and new technologies at the upcoming summit in Washington, its chief said Friday.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he has invited the leaders of South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand to the NATO summit for the third consecutive year to expand the security alliance's partnership with the countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
"South Korea is a highly valued partner," Stoltenberg said in a pre-summit news conference at NATO headquarters in
Brussels. "The president is attending. I think that reflects how we have deepened and strengthened our partnership."
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on June 27, 2024, in this photo provided by NATO. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Stoltenberg underscored the importance of working with the Indo-Pacific partners at a time when Russia is continuing its war in Ukraine with help from North Korea, Iran and China.
"Iran and North Korea are fuelling Russia's war with drones and shells. China is propping up Russia's war economy, and providing microelectronics and other dual-use goods for Russia's war," he said. "The closer that authoritarian actors align, the more important it is that we work closely with our friends in the Indo-Pacific."
At the upcoming summit, Stoltenberg said NATO will build on practical cooperation for "flagship projects" on Ukraine, cyber and new technologies and discuss defense industry cooperation with South Korea.
"The flagship projects are about several things. Partly about medical rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers, how we can work more closely on issues, also related to for instance, technology. " he said. "We are also looking into how we can expand the exchange of intelligence information with South Korea."
During last year's summit in Lithuania, Yoon said South Korea will increase military information sharing with NATO through the Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System, which helps members share military secrets and determine the next steps based on the information.
Yoon will visit Washington on July 10-11 to participate in the NATO summit as a partner nation, which would focus on ways to expand cooperation with the security alliance in response to deepening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
South Korea has said it would consider sending weapons to Ukraine in a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin's signing of a mutual defense treaty with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their summit last month.
"We will send a strong message regarding the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, and discuss ways to enhance cooperation among NATO allies and Indo-Pacific partners," Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said in a briefing Friday.
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