Russia, China respond angrily to Yoon's comments

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin speaks during a press conference on Aug. 10, 2022. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF CHINA]

President Yoon Suk Yeol's comments on Ukraine and Taiwan in an interview Wednesday quickly spiraled out into tit-for-tat condemnations between Seoul and Beijing on Thursday.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin condemned Yoon's comments on Taiwan in a press briefing Thursday.

He said Beijing will "not permit others to meddle" in Taiwan affairs as it is China's domestic issue.

In the interview with Reuters, Yoon said Taiwan was "not simply an issue between China and Taiwan" but a global matter, like the North Korea issue.

"After all, these tensions occurred because of attempts to change the status quo by force, and we together with the international community absolutely oppose such a change," Yoon said.

Wang blamed recent tensions in the Taiwan Strait on "separatist activities" by "Taiwanese independence elements" with the "support and encouragement of outside forces."

He also dismissed the comparison between Taiwan and North Korea, saying that both South and North are sovereign states and United Nations members, and demanded Korea keep to the spirit of honoring the One China principle.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry responded strongly to Wang's comments on Thursday in a statement.

"In response to the president's comment on the universal principle of the international community against changing the status quo by force, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson made an unspeakable remark," the ministry said.

The ministry added that the remark "is a serious diplomatic gaffe that calls into question China's national dignity."

In the same interview, Yoon said Korea could provide aid beyond humanitarian or economic support if Ukraine comes under a large-scale attack on its civilians, sparking protests from Russian officials.

"Certainly, any weapons supplies would imply a certain involvement in this conflict," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a press briefing in Moscow on Wednesday, according to TASS, Russia's state media. "There is nothing brand new here. Both in terms of sanctions and other things, regretfully. Seoul has taken quite an unfriendly position in this story."

The Russian Embassy in Seoul echoed the Kremlin's statement, stating that "South Korea is well aware of the imminent negative effects produced by its eventual decision to join the group of 'military sponsors' of the Kiev regime and to supply it with lethal weapons."

"Such actions would definitely ruin Russian-Korean relations that have seen constructive development for the benefit of both nations over the last three decades."

The U.S. government was quick to welcome Yoon's comments.

Washington's Defense Department spokesperson John Supple said in an interview with Yonhap that the United States welcomes Korea's contribution to NATO and Ukraine, a sentiment echoed by many experts in Washington.

"Korea has one of the largest, if not the largest, stockpiles of munitions of any country in the world," Victor Cha, senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the press. "If there's one thing that Ukraine needs in this war and that NATO allies who are supporting Ukraine need in this war, it's munitions."

The presidential office in Seoul appeared to try to douse the international interest in Yoon's comments on Thursday, noting that Korea's position on aid to Ukraine remains unchanged.

"There is no change in the types of aid to Ukraine that Korea has been providing," a senior official of the presidential office said in a meeting with a group of reporters. "We are actively providing humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine this year and discussing assisting with the reconstruction of Ukraine."

However, the official added that what Korea does in the future "will depend on Russia's actions."

There was no official contact directly from the governments of Russia or Ukraine to the Korean government on the subject.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Seoul issued a statement Thursday to welcome a possible extension of Korea's "support for Ukraine beyond humanitarian and financial aid," adding that it hopes Korea will support Ukraine by "providing state-of-the-art Korean-made defense equipment."

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]