During the long decades of the Cold War, North and South Korea regularly found themselves on opposing sides in every international conflict. South Korean ground forces fought together with South Vietnam's troops, while North Korean pilots fought with Hanoi's armed forces. More recently, while the North Koreans sold weapons or military technology to Syria, Iran and any other anti-Western government or militia in the Middle East, South Korea contributed to US-led coalition forces in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
It is therefore not surprising that something similar is happening now, with the war in Ukraine: the North Koreans are supplying ammunition to Russia, while the South Koreans are increasingly becoming a key weapon supplier for Western nations helping Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion.
But unlike previous conflicts, the war in Ukraine is not merely pulling the Pyongyang and Seoul governments in different directions; it is also altering the security situation in the Korean peninsula.
Neither North nor South Korea either expected or wanted to be actively involved in the Ukraine war. Pyongyang and Seoul were quick to realise the high strategic stakes. And, clearly, they expected "their" side to win the confrontation: the North rooted for a Russian win, while the South hoped for a victory of the US-led camp in the Ukraine conflict.
Neither side initially expected to be asked to provide direct help to the protagonists in the fighting for perfectly good reasons. The war was expected to be brief; China - by far the most significant strategic swing player on the Korean peninsula seemed determined to maintain its neutrality, and neither the United States nor its European allies had any intention of sending their soldiers to fight in Ukraine.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 06, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 06, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
RealVantage breaks down walls in real estate investing for the masses
Real estate fund targets investments in middle market real estate assets
CROATIA LIFT CONFIDENCE
They beat Portugal 2-1 away in final friendly before Euro, sending warning to Spain, Italy
Jacobs wants to go faster after retaining 100m title
Home favourite Marcell Jacobs vowed to improve his time and technique ahead of the Paris Olympics after he retained his European 100m crown in Rome as Italy basked in their bountiful weekend with five golds to surge to the top of the medal table.
Workers from dorms drinking, sleeping by roadside at night
Motorists say they endanger themselves and other road users with such behaviour
US 'standing strong' with Ukraine in Russia battle, Biden vows
In a swipe at Trump, he emphasises value of US-European alliances on state visit to France
Seoul accused of modern slavery with seasonal worker scheme
Filipino workers say brokers charged steep fees, cheated them out of promised wages
Terrorist attacks dampen Chinese interest in key corridor project with Pakistan
Political instability, economic distress in the country causing serious delays, say analysts
Proposal to allow pets on China’s trains draws cheers and jeers
Some welcome prospect of trips with pets, but others raise objections over fur, faeces
Layoff worries mount as Indonesia sees flood of illegal imports
Smuggled goods compete unfairly with locally made products, economists say
Malaysia's data centre push sparks concern over power, water usage
It could strain supplies in the coming years, particularly in industrialised states: Experts