Seoul: South Korea's endorsement of a U.N. resolution regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine was influenced by its commitment to fostering international support for ending the conflict and maintaining strong bilateral relations with the United States, as stated by a foreign ministry official.
According to Yonhap News Agency, on Monday, the U.N. Security Council voted on a U.S.-led resolution aimed at swiftly concluding the conflict. The resolution was approved with ten votes in favor, while five countries, including Britain and France, abstained. South Korea was among the nations that supported the resolution.
Despite the absence of European-suggested adjustments in the U.S.-led resolution, South Korea endorsed it based on its core purpose and the significance of U.S.-South Korea cooperation regarding bilateral relations and North Korea-related issues, a ministry official informed reporters.
The official further explained that South Korea's decision was aligned with the global stance advocating for an early resolution to the war and the necessity to garner international backing for peace efforts.
The decision indicates that although the resolution may not align entirely with South Korea's stance, it was supported due to its broader objectives and the critical nature of U.S.-South Korea relations under the second Donald Trump administration.
The resolution did not assign explicit responsibility to Russia for the invasion, which led to abstentions from several European nations. An amended version proposed by European countries, which included these points, was vetoed by Russia. South Korea had previously voted for the original resolution.