Seoul: A Korean American congresswoman on Thursday called for strengthening the trilateral South Korea-U.S.-Japan partnership in the face of what she called an "unholy alliance" among North Korea, China, and Russia that threatens a free and open Indo-Pacific. Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) made the call in a video message during the Korean Peninsula Symposium, hosted by Yonhap News Agency, noting the deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia through the war in Ukraine and China's increasing military exercises around Taiwan.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim emphasized that the current geopolitical climate demands a strong response. "We are living in unprecedented times, with North Korea, China, and Russia's unholy alliance threatening a democratic, free and open Indo-Pacific," she stated. Kim further argued against adopting a policy of appeasement, specifically with North Korea, asserting that past attempts have proven ineffective.
She advocated for promoting peace through strength by leveraging bilateral and multilateral partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region to advance security, economic, and people-to-people ties. Kim highlighted the importance of maintaining security cooperation among Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo, acknowledging the significant progress achieved in recent years.
South Korea has been actively working to enhance trilateral security cooperation with the U.S. and Japan to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats amid increasing U.S.-China tensions. President Lee Jae Myung, who recently assumed office, has reiterated his dedication to bolstering this three-way cooperation while also aiming to improve relations with Pyongyang through "pragmatic" diplomacy.
Rep. Kim, who chairs the East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee, expressed her anticipation for working with the new administration, noting that the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea holds greater importance than ever.