Yoon to use UN address to send message about North Korea

South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to use his upcoming address at the UN General Assembly to send a message about military exchanges between North Korea and Russia, a senior official said on September 14.

The presidential office announced that Yoon will make a five-day visit to New York starting September 18 to deliver an address before the UN General Assembly on September 13 and hold a series of bilateral summits on the sidelines, Yonhap reports. 

"Our government's plans to contribute to bridging global gaps will be outlined," Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo told reporters, adding that the speech will also include the country's plan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2024-25.

Another senior presidential official said Yoon's speech is expected to touch on possible military exchanges between Pyongyang and Moscow, following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's rare summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"In the UN General Assembly address, we expect that there will be an appropriate analysis and message about military exchanges between North Korea and Russia," the official said. "Along with individual measures we can take on our own, we're also discussing multilateral measures we can take together with the United States, Japan and other key friends."

Yoon is scheduled to meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and discuss global issues, such as the war in Ukraine and North Korea's nuclear threats, as well as ways for Seoul and the U.N. to cooperate, officials said.

On September 13 evening, Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee will attend a reception hosted by US President Joe Biden and his wife.

On the sidelines, Yoon is expected to hold at least 30 bilateral summits to seek support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in its southeastern city of Busan.

"We are coordinating meetings with numerous countries, and the schedule is expected to expand much further," Kim said. Yoon has already had a total of 99 bilateral summits with leaders from 58 countries.

Another official said the presidential office is considering applying for a Guinness World Record for the most summit meetings by a president within a month.