(LEAD) Yoon says S. Korea-U.S. alliance not shaken by eavesdropping allegations

(ATTN: UPDATES with more comments in paras 4, 6)

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol has said the South Korea-U.S. alliance will not be shaken by allegations of eavesdropping contained in recently leaked Pentagon documents, according to an interview Tuesday.

Yoon made the remark in an interview with NBC News on Monday as he is on a state visit to Washington.

"This matter is no reason to shake the ironclad trust that supports the U.S.-South Korea alliance, because it is based on shared values like freedom," he was quoted as saying.

When asked if friends spy on friends, Yoon said, "Generally speaking, I don't think that in the real world, this is something that is prohibited in state affairs. The most important thing is the trust. When you have that trust, you don't get it shaken," according to English-dubbed footage.

The leaked documents reportedly contained the contents of tapped conversations at South Korea's presidential office about whether to provide lethal aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Yoon suggested in a recent interview with Reuters that South Korea could provide such aid to Ukraine if the country came under a large-scale attack on civilians.

"As for South Korea, we are joining forces with the international community to uphold freedom and human rights and we are providing assistance to Ukraine," Yoon told NBC News.

"If the time comes when we must also supply some lethal weapons to Ukraine when the situation on the battlefront changes, there won't be a situation of South Korea turning away from the joint effort of the international community," he said, according to the footage.

Yoon also said it was "unrealistic" to expect a denuclearization deal with North Korea anytime soon.

"The important thing is that we have to make North Korea never dare to resort to its nuclear weapons," he said.

hague@yna.co.kr
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