South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Ambassador to South Korea on Monday, condemning Russia for accepting North Korean soldiers and deploying them to the battleground in Ukraine. South Korea urged North Korea to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine and stated that it will take coordinated measures with the international community.
In a statement, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over North Korea’s military support to Russia and condemned the deepening illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Kim Hong-kyun, the Deputy Minister of South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with the Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev and raised these issues.
The South Korean Defense Ministry mentioned that prior to issuing the statement, their intelligence agency had already briefed Washington about the situation. Kim Hong-kyun emphasized that North Korean military involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine violates United Nations resolutions and the UN Charter, posing a serious threat to the security of South Korea and the entire world.
“We strongly condemn North Korea’s illegal military cooperation, including the dispatch of troops to Russia,” South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted Kim Hong-kyun as saying. “We will take all possible measures with the international community to collectively address actions that threaten our core security interests.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea reported that Zinoviev promised to convey this information to Moscow. Last week, South Korean intelligence agencies revealed that North Korea had transported 1,500 special forces soldiers to Russia’s Far East region for training and readiness, likely for deployment to the Ukrainian battlefield.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy accused North Korea of preparing to send ten thousand soldiers to Russia and called on the international community to respond strongly to this development. Last Friday, the White House National Security Council spokesman stated that there was no confirmation yet regarding reports of North Korean troops participating in the Russian war. However, he added that if the reports are true, it would signify a dangerous escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also mentioned last week that there is currently no evidence suggesting Pyongyang’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both Russia and North Korea have denied arms transfers but pledged to enhance their bilateral military relationship.
At a Russia-North Korea summit held in June this year, the two countries signed the “Russia-North Korea Mutual Defense Treaty.” Article 4 stipulates that if one party is invaded and enters a state of war, the other must provide military and other forms of assistance.