South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized on Tuesday that “the illegal military collaboration between Russia and North Korea poses a significant security threat to the international community and could potentially harm our national security.”
During a National Security Council meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan, Yoon stated, “As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, North Korea has gone beyond supplying weapons to Russia and has even deployed troops.”
He urged, “We must thoroughly examine all possibilities and prepare countermeasures. I ask everyone to maintain a sense of urgency and manage risks diligently.”
Earlier, Yoon held consecutive phone calls with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General. During these discussions, he shared information about the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region and explored potential response strategies.
In his call with von der Leyen, Yoon emphasized that “the illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea fundamentally undermines the rules-based international order and threatens peace both on the Korean Peninsula and globally.” He called for the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops and the cessation of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, stating that measures would be actively implemented in stages depending on the progress of their military collaboration.
In response, von der Leyen expressed severe concern over North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia, stating that it directly violates international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions. She added, “This is a significant issue that further exacerbates the already prolonged situation of the Ukraine war,” affirming that the European Union is ready to cooperate with South Korea actively.
Stoltenberg expressed gratitude for South Korea’s swift decision to send a government delegation to share information with NATO member states. He stated, “The involvement of North Korean troops in the Ukraine conflict is a top priority for NATO. I hope we can continue to share battlefield-related information regularly and work with South Korea on response measures.”
A South Korean government delegation led by Hong Jang Won, First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), along with senior officials from intelligence, military, and diplomatic agencies, including Park Jin Young, Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Intelligence Division, conducted a briefing on North Korea’s troop deployment at the NATO North Atlantic Council (NAC) meeting.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the NIS reported that some North Korean troops deployed to Russia, including high-ranking generals, may have moved to the Ukrainian front lines. This information was disclosed by Lee Seong Geun, a ruling People Power Party member, and Park Seon Won of the opposition Democratic Party, who serve as the spokespersons for the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, following a closed-door parliamentary audit.
The NIS stated, “Troop transfers between North Korea and Russia are underway,” adding, “We are investigating the possibility of some personnel, including high-ranking military generals, moving to the front lines.”
Regarding North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s visit to Russia on Monday, the NIS noted, “We believe they discussed additional troop deployments and potential compensation through high-level channels.”
The NIS also projected the possibility of future provocations from North Korea, including the launch of hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and large intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
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