Carmen Romero, the NATO Director of Security Policy, condemned North Korea’s demolition of the Gyeongui and Donghae Line roads in an interview with JoongAng Daily on the 17th, strongly warning against any kind of provocations. Director Romero visited Korea to attend a forum titled “Korea-NATO Cooperation: Towards Practical Cooperation,” hosted by the Korea Foundation and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
Regarding North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia, Romero commented that while NATO cannot officially confirm it, they are observing the situation with deep concern. She pointed out that even without troop deployment, the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is already severely undermining international order.
When asked about the ongoing war in Ukraine, Romero mentioned, “The solution is quite simple. The war will end immediately if President Putin decides to stop the attacks today. This entire situation is due to Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine. Unfortunately, the possibility of ending the war seems slim, and all we can do is support Ukraine.”
With the war reaching nearly three years by February next year, she emphasized that the Ukraine war is a global issue that affects not just the 31 NATO member countries but also the entire international community that shares values like democracy and rule of law. Ceasing support for Ukraine would send a wrong message to countries like Russia and North Korea.
She acknowledged the Korean government’s medical aid, promised at the NATO 75th anniversary summit in Washington, D.C., last July, as being already significantly helpful. Regarding military support, she remarked that all forms of support are welcome.
Concerning North Korea’s weapon support to Russia and the increasing alignment of states that deny values like democracy and human rights, she expressed serious concerns and condemned North Korea’s recent provocations, such as missile tests and road demolitions.
On Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, she aligned with NATO’s official stance, which emphasizes supporting Ukraine’s self-defense amidst ongoing conflict. While NATO’s Article 5 considers an attack on one member as an attack on all, making Ukraine a member during active conflict would imply a direct NATO engagement in the war.
Regarding the possibility of Donald Trump, who holds a negative view of the current NATO system, becoming President on November 5, Romero expressed confidence that cooperation would remain unchanged, highlighting that the new NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, is a veteran politician with over a decade of experience as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
Lastly, on Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s proposal to create an “Asian NATO,” Romero refrained from commenting on policy decisions beyond NATO’s scope.