South Korea and North Korea's military support in Iraq and Ukraine
U.S. invades Iraq in an illegal war, and South Korea sends forces. Russia invades Ukraine in an illegal war, and North Korea sends forces. Where's the difference?
In recent history, two global powers—first the United States in Iraq and later Russia in Ukraine—initiated conflicts that were widely regarded as controversial, if not outright illegal, by much of the international community. Both of these conflicts generated intense debate and scrutiny, not only for the actions of the aggressor nations but also for the responses and alliances they prompted from around the world.
Two responses, in particular, stand out for their similarity and geopolitical irony: the decision by South Korea to send troops to Iraq in 2004, and North Korea’s recent move to send support to Russia in Ukraine. This parallel in the decisions of two opposing Korean states reveals complex layers of international relations, allegiances, and the evolving norms surrounding foreign military interventions.
A Tale of Two Invasions
When the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, the world was sharply divided. The official U.S. rationale for the invasion was the purported presence of weapo…