"The Ukrainian crisis can influence the Korean Peninsula. If the US deploys military resources to Eastern Europe, the security umbrella for Korea could be reduced in proportion."
This is how the international news editor at Hankook Ilbo, a South Korean daily newspaper, assessed the Russian threat against Ukraine less than two weeks ago. His conclusion that an American "military confrontation with Russia will lessen the pressure on North Korea as the latter reinitiates nuclear experiments or Inter-continental ballistic missile testing" is speculative at best, but the words are telling of how the war in Europe is being largely perceived in South Korea: as a new cause of concern for the country's own security.
Russia began its military assault on Ukraine in the early morning hours of Thursday. Western leaders have been unanimous in condemning the attack, feared for weeks given the massive buildup of Russian troops on Ukrainian borders.