SEOUL, South Korea — On Tuesday, North Korea announced that its chief diplomat is making a trip to Russia, highlighting the strengthening ties between the two nations amid concerns from South Korea and Western countries regarding North Korea’s reported dispatch of thousands of troops to assist in Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that a delegation headed by Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui departed for Russia on Monday, although the specifics of the visit were not disclosed.
This news comes shortly after the Pentagon indicated that North Korea has sent an estimated 10,000 troops to Russia, with expectations that these soldiers will be deployed to combat zones in Ukraine within a few weeks.
Leaders from South Korea and the West have voiced alarm that North Korean military involvement could potentially extend Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. There are also concerns that Russia might offer technological support in exchange, which could enhance North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile capabilities.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh informed reporters that some North Korean forces are already advancing toward Ukraine and are believed to be heading for the Kursk region, where Russian forces are currently facing challenges in countering Ukrainian movements.
During phone conversations with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shared intelligence estimations indicating that North Korean soldiers might be deployed to the frontlines faster than initially expected. He emphasized the need for improved collaboration with European nations to “monitor and block” any illicit exchanges between North Korea and Russia, as stated by his office.
Initially denying the claims regarding troop movements, Pyongyang and Moscow have since taken a more ambiguous approach, insisting that their military interactions are in accordance with international law—while stopping short of acknowledging the presence of North Korean troops in Russia.
North Korea has been accused of supplying Russia with millions of artillery shells and various military supplies to support the war in Ukraine. The United States and its allies have condemned Russia’s acquisition of North Korean troops and materiel as a breach of U.N. Security Council regulations, raising concerns that Moscow might be assisting Pyongyang in circumventing sanctions and illegally funding its weapons initiatives.
President Yoon articulated that the illegal military partnership between Russia and North Korea poses a serious security threat to global stability and is a matter of significant concern that could adversely affect national security. He emphasized the necessity to explore all possible scenarios and devise countermeasures during a Cabinet meeting in Seoul on Tuesday.
Yoon had previously indicated last week the possibility of South Korea supplying weapons to Ukraine, noting that the country is preparing to implement countermeasures that could be enacted progressively based on the intensity of military collaboration between North Korea and Russia.
As a burgeoning arms exporter, South Korea has supplied humanitarian assistance and other forms of non-lethal support to Ukraine and has aligned itself with U.S.-led economic sanctions against Russia. However, it has resisted requests from Kyiv and NATO to directly provide military arms to Ukraine, adhering to a longstanding policy of refraining from supplying weapons to nations involved in active conflicts.