Korea pledges to join international sanctions against Russia

Park Soo-hyun, senior presidential secretary for public communication, speaks during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. Yonhap

Presidential candidates slam invasion

By Kang Seung-woo

President Moon Jae-in said, Thursday, Korea will join international sanctions against Russia in the wake of Moscow’s attacks on Ukraine.

While expressing regret over Russia’s military aggression, the President added that any use of force causing the loss of innocent lives cannot be justified.

“It is regrettable that Russia has invaded Ukraine despite the international community’s repeated warnings and diplomatic efforts. Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence must be guaranteed. Any dispute between countries should be resolved not through war but through dialogue and negotiation,” Moon was quoted as saying by Park Soo-hyun, senior presidential secretary for public communication.

“As a responsible member of the international community, Korea stands up for and participates in efforts, including economic sanctions, to deter the Russian invasion of Ukraine and resolve the situation in a peaceful way.”

In the wake of the Russian attacks, U.S. President Joe Biden said, Wednesday (local time), the United States and its allies will impose severe sanctions on Russia.

National Security Director Suh Hoon also presided over a National Security Council meeting and the Korean government expressed strong regret over the invasion, calling for an immediate halt.

Earlier in the day, the foreign ministry also said the nation will join a move to sanction Russia if it launches a full-scale invasion, although it failed to elaborate on the definition of a full-blown conflict.

To this end, Korea has been in consultations with the U.S. and other allies on the issue.The President also instructed his officials to ensure the safety of Koreans in Ukraine and minimize the economic impact.”The government’s relevant ministries should be fully prepared and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of Koreans overseas and minimize the impact on the economy and businesses,” he said.However, according to Cheong Wa Dae, the government has not been considering sending a military aircraft due to the declaration of a no-fly zone for civilian aircraft over Ukraine. Last August, the government sent a military aircraft to Afghanistan to evacuate nearly 400 Afghans who worked on Korean projects there.While denouncing the Russian invasion, presidential candidates urged the government to come up with all available measures to minimize the potential impact on the economy and damage to Korean businesses.Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said the escalating crisis in Ukraine poses a risk to the national economy by disrupting supply chains and pummeling stock prices.”This is happening in a different country halfway around the world, but our stock prices are going down because of it,” he said.”Because of the disruption to the so-called global supply chain and international economic order, the economic development of the Republic of Korea is at risk,” Lee added.The ruling party candidate also presided over an emergency meeting at the DPK to discuss its response to the Ukraine crisis.Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) said Russia deserved criticism for violating the International Law and the Charter of the United Nations. “The government should be on high alert to prevent the Ukraine crisis from expanding to geopolitical risks on the Korean Peninsula. In particular, we need to work together with the United States in full preparation for North Korea’s possible invasion of South Korea,” he wrote on Facebook.Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor People’s Party said Korea should act responsibly in line with allies and democratic countries to help Ukraine, while Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition Justice Party urged Russia to stop the “war crime” against humanity, urging the government to form an emergency task force.