Amid growing concerns about potential military and technology cooperation between North Korea and Russia, former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed strong condemnation towards the Putin administration during his keynote address at Incheon Security Conference held on Tuesday.

“While people around the world fervently hope for a swift end to the war in Ukraine, there are two dictators twisting this earnest wish and sowing seeds of discord,” Ban said, singling out Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Ban referenced North Korea’s ammunition and transactions involving Russia’s advanced nuclear and missile technologies in the context of the recent North Korea-Russia summit, calling it a significant geopolitical shift. He emphasized the necessity for a strong response from the international community, including the United States, South Korea, and Japan, to counter the potential military cooperation amid Russia’s attempts to undermine UN sanctions on North Korea.

He also said, “Morally and from the standpoint of justice, Russia leaves room for doubt in its qualifications as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.”

Ban recounted his visit to the Bucha region of Ukraine, where a massacre of civilians by Russia took place in August 2022, and advocated for the establishment of a “Special Tribunal” by the international community to hold Putin and other illegal invaders accountable.

He urged global leaders to raise their voices against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and hold Putin accountable as a war criminal, emphasizing that any silence since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 is akin to siding with Russia.

For a peaceful resolution in Ukraine, Ban emphasized that the path to both peace and reconstruction must be based on law and justice, saying that true peace cannot be achieved by disregarding the will of the Ukrainian people or applying pressure, underlining the need for a genuine approach for a lasting peace.

By Han Ye-kyung and Minu Kim

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