South Korea has sent a strong message by summoning the Russian ambassador and demanding the “immediate withdrawal” of North Korean troops who are allegedly receiving combat training in Ukraine.
Seoul’s intelligence agency claims that around 1,500 North Korean soldiers, some of whom are special forces, have already arrived in Russia.
During his meeting with Ambassador Georgiy Zinoviev, Kim Hong-kyun, South Korea’s vice foreign minister, expressed deep concern over this situation and stated that the South would be ready to “respond with all available measures.”
Ambassador Zinoviev noted the worries but insisted that the collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang is “within the framework of international law.” He refrained from confirming reports about North Korean military personnel joining Russia’s military efforts.
Later on Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the joint activities that were carried out by Russia and North Korea do not target third countries, as stated by the Russian state news agency Tass.
There has been no response from Pyongyang regarding the allegations.
South Korea has continuously accused the North of supplying arms to Russia for the ongoing Ukraine war. It now thinks the matter has gone beyond simple weapons transfers.
Some South Korean news outlets have even suggested that as many as 12,000 North Korean troops may be participating.
“This situation presents a grave danger not just for South Korea but for the world,” Kim said Monday.
The bond between Moscow and Pyongyang has grown deeper since leaders Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a security pact in June, pledging mutual help in the event of “aggression” against either country. Last week, Putin sent a ratification bill for the agreement to the Duma.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday that the presence of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russia would be a “significant escalation” in the current war.
During a phone discussion with Rutte, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol urged the alliance to develop “concrete countermeasures” and emphasized plans to bolster security cooperation with Ukraine and NATO.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, during his visit to Seoul, described Russia’s actions as “reckless and illegal” and promised to work together with South Korea to address the situation, according to President Yoon’s office.
The United States and Japan have issued similar statements of condemnation regarding the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
When asked about the cooperation between North Korea and Russia,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian remarked that China hopes that all parties would favor the de-escalation of tensions and the achievement of a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis.
Defense experts interviewed in Korea pointed out that North Korea’s involvement would be dangerous and could bring more countries into the conflict.
Moon Seong-mok of the Korea National Strategy Institute has pointed out that any participation by North Korea would likely invite further international sanctions and pressure regarding both Russia and North Korea, leading him to question the potential benefit of such involvement for either side.
Other analysts expressed skepticism over the possibility of integrating North Korean troops into Russian frontlines, given the language barrier and the veritable absence of combat experience in the North Korean army of late.
Valeriy Ryabykh, an editor for the Ukrainian publication Defence Express, suggested that North Korean forces might serve in a guarding capacity along certain stretches of the Russian-Ukrainian border, thereby enabling Russian units to concentrate on other areas. He considered it unlikely that such units would be immediately deployed to actual front lines.