Germany joins UN Command in S. Korea

Germany on Friday formally joined the US-led United Nations Command (UNC) as the 18th official member state, marking the first expansion of the multinational force in more than a decade, the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said his country's decision to join the UN Command reflected growing security ties between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, according to the report. "By joining the UN Command, we showcase our dedication to shared security and our close ties with like-minded partners, particularly the US and Korea," Pistorius said at a ceremony at the command's headquarters in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul. "Our decision to join the command is evidence of our strong belief that European security is closely linked to the security of the Indo-Pacific," Pistorius noted, marking the first expansion of the command since 2013, when Italy was reinstated as a member. Germany's admission into the unit overseeing the armistice of the 1950-53 Korean Wa r came as South Korea has recently sought to expand cooperation with like-minded countries to better deter North Korea's evolving military threats. South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik hailed Germany's admission during bilateral talks with Pistorius earlier in the day, saying that South Korea and the command now have a "new partner" to jointly respond to North Korea's threats. The command was established under a 1950 UN mandate to support South Korea against North Korean aggression during the war, which technically has never ended as a peace treaty was not signed. North Korea has pressed ahead with its spate of weapons tests this year, launching 48 missiles on 14 occasions, the report said. It has also forged deeper military ties with Russia, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty that includes a mutual defense clause during their summit in Pyongyang last June. Source: Kuwait News Agency