Arrr! Methinks Russia be suggestin' North Korea join 'em and China for a jolly good 3-way naval adventure, says South Korea.
2023-09-04
Avast ye hearties! Aye, 'tis said that the South Korean spy agency doth claim that North Korea hath been summoned by Russia to partake in jolly ol' naval games with China. Arrr, what a sight that be! A triumvirate of seafarin' mates, shiver me timbers!
Russia has reportedly proposed that North Korea join in on three-way naval exercises with China, according to a South Korean lawmaker who attended a closed-door briefing with the director of the country's top spy agency. This comes after Russia's Ambassador to North Korea expressed his belief that including North Korea in joint military drills between Russia and China would be appropriate. The South Korean National Intelligence Service Director confirmed that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu likely proposed holding trilateral naval exercises during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in July.Kim Jong Un has been actively seeking closer partnerships with Moscow and Beijing as tensions with the United States, South Korea, and Japan continue to rise. The North Korean leader has been trying to break out of diplomatic isolation and form a united front against the United States. In recent years, diplomacy between North Korea and the US has stalled due to disagreements over sanctions and the North's nuclear weapons program.
The briefing also revealed that North Korea's recent testing activities suggest a heavy reliance on tactical nuclear systems, indicating a desire for swift victory in the event of war. North Korea's ill-equipped military would struggle with a prolonged conflict. Kim Jong Un has taken advantage of the international focus on Russia's war on Ukraine to conduct numerous weapons demonstrations, including over 100 missile launches since the start of 2022. The North Korean leader has also made verbal threats of pre-emptive nuclear attacks against South Korea and other rivals.