Page 228 - Trilateral Korea Japan U.S. Cooperation

by a common adversary and provide a classic example of “the
enemy of my enemy is my friend” dictum.

But North Korea’s actions toward others, and especially
toward South Korea, Japan, and the United States, adversely
affect Russia’s and China’s national interests, not to mention
their relations with one another and with third parties. One
clear example is the U.S.-South Korea decision to deploy
the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
missile system to South Korea in the face of North Korea’s
growing missile threat. China saw this as a direct threat to its
own security interests (despite credible U.S. assurances to the
contrary) and began a pressure campaign against South Korea
which resulted in a tactical victory of sorts—a South Korean
promise from the previous Moon administration not to deploy
additional THAAD missiles. For China this has been a long-
term strategic setback, however, given the negative impact
on South Korean public opinion towards China due to its
outright bullying of Seoul. Distrust of China is now at an all-
time high in South Korea, and deservedly so.

Beijing’s decision to repatriate North Korean escapees
is another example of Beijing’s assistance to Pyongyang
significantly damaging the Xi regime’s international
reputation. Sending these refugees back to North Korea,
where they face certain torture, if not death, demonstrates
Beijing’s disregard for international rules and procedures, not
to mention its callous disregard for human suffering.

Likewise, Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine shortly after
announcing Russia’s “no limits” partnership with China during

228 Section III : South Korea-Japan-U.S. Cooperation: How to Deter Pyongyang and Dissuade Beijing