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SEOUL (Reuters) – NATO Secretary Basic Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Seoul on Sunday, the primary cease on a visit aimed toward strengthening the alliance’s ties with U.S. allies in South Korea and Japan within the face of the struggle in Ukraine and rising competitors with China.
In Seoul, Stoltenberg is because of meet with International Minister Park Jin, Minister of Nationwide Defence Lee Jong-Sup, and different senior officers, the North Atlantic Treaty Group stated in an announcement. He will even possible meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential workplace has stated.
Flying to Tokyo on Monday, the secretary common has conferences scheduled with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and different Japanese officers.
“I strongly imagine that we have to strengthen the partnership between Korea and NATO as a result of safety turns into an increasing number of interconnected,” Stoltenberg informed Yonhap Information company in an interview revealed on Sunday. “What occurs in Asia, the Indo-Pacific, issues for Europe and NATO, and vice versa.”
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Whereas NATO will stay focussed on Europe and North America, its members are affected by points across the globe, he stated.
“We have to handle these international threats and challenges, together with the challenges coming from China, and a technique of doing that’s, after all, to work extra intently with companions within the area,” Stoltenberg stated.
Yoon and Kishida turned the primary leaders from their nations to attend a NATO summit, becoming a member of alliance leaders as observers final yr.
Following the summit, South Korea opened its first diplomatic mission to NATO, vowing to deepen cooperation on non-proliferation, cyber defence, counter-terrorism, catastrophe response and different safety areas.
Chinese language state media had warned in opposition to South Korea and Japan attending the NATO summit and criticised the alliance’s broadening partnerships in Asia. North Korea has stated NATO involvement within the Asia-Pacific area would import the battle raging in Europe.
(Reporting by Josh Smith; Modifying by William Mallard)
Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.
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