President Yoon Suk Yeol said he will underscore the security implications of a purported illicit arms trade between North Korea and Russia and discuss international responses at this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit in San Francisco.

In a written interview with The Associated Press published on Tuesday, Yoon said Pyongyang-Moscow military cooperation not only poses a serious security threat to the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and Europe, but also undermines the universal rules-based international order.

There is speculation that Russia's provision of advanced weapons technologies to the North in return for a supply of conventional arms for the war in Ukraine could help Pyongyang modernize its nuclear-capable missiles targeting South Korea and the U.S. 

Amid concerns that the North may miscalculate and conduct a provocation against the South while global attention is drawn to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, Yoon said such provocations will result in immediate and strong retaliation from the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

As for the regime’s attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite, Yoon called for reinforced countermeasures should the regime succeed, adding that a successful launch would signify that its intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities have been enhanced.

The South Korean leader also vowed to urge APEC members to work together in the spirit of stronger solidarity and cooperation to advance trade and investment liberalization, innovation and digitalization as well as inclusive and sustainable growth.

Yoon will be in San Francisco for the gathering through Friday, where he will hold meetings with other world leaders on the sidelines, including a highly anticipated potential summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.