NATO leaders condemned North Korean arms exports to Russia for use in its “war of aggression” against Ukraine in a joint statement on Wednesday, kicking off a major summit in Washington that looks to bolster the alliance's ties with South Korea, Japan and other Indo-Pacific partners.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol also called attention to North Korean threats in a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event, while welcoming Germany’s application to join the U.N. Command (UNC) that oversees the Korean War armistice.