South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol described North Korea’s cooperation with Russia as a serious security threat.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Monday that Pyongyang and Moscow should not send North Korean soldiers to fight in the war in Ukraine.
The deployment of North Korean soldiers to support Russia in Ukraine “would mark a significant escalation,” Rutte posted on X following a conversation with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The two leaders discussed the close ties between South Korea and the Western military alliance over the phone, with Rutte emphasizing cooperation in the defense industry and “interconnected security.”
President Yoon described the cooperation between North Korea and Russia as a serious security threat “not only to our country but also to the international community.”
On Friday, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) accused the North Korean military of already sending about 1.500 soldiers to Russia for training ahead of their expected deployment to Ukraine.
The agency claims that North Korea has decided to send a total of around 12.000 soldiers to support Russia, including special units.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused North Korea on Thursday of providing
officers to Russia and preparing to send 10.000 soldiers to assist Moscow in the war in Ukraine.
Both Russia and North Korea deny the allegations of sending North Korean military personnel to support Russia against Ukraine.
