SEOUL, South Korea — On Wednesday, the president of South Korea engaged with a visiting delegation from Ukraine, stressing the need for a collaborative response to the concerns raised by North Korea’s recent deployment of over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

This movement of North Korean troops poses a significant threat of widening the nearly three-year conflict, as both Ukraine and the U.S. report that some soldiers have already been deployed to the frontlines. Furthermore, Seoul and Washington fear that, in return, Russia could provide North Korea with advancements in nuclear weaponry aimed at them. In response, South Korea indicated at the end of October that it might consider supplying arms to Ukraine.

During a discussion with the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed his desire for collaborative strategies between Seoul and Kyiv to address the security risks stemming from the military partnership between North Korea and Russia, including the latter’s troop deployments, as per an official statement from Yoon’s office.

The Ukrainian representatives subsequently held separate talks with Yoon’s national security advisor, Shin Wonsik, and Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun. Umerov updated the South Korean officials on the current situation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and expressed optimism for enhanced collaboration between their countries, according to the statement.

Both parties agreed to maintain an ongoing exchange of information concerning the North Korean forces stationed in Russia, as well as any transfers of weapons and technology between North Korea and Russia, while also ensuring they coordinate closely with the United States.

The South Korean announcement did not clarify whether discussions were held regarding the potential provision of weapons to Ukraine. Many analysts speculate that a potential return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency might make South Korea more hesitant to send arms to Ukraine, given Trump’s promises to swiftly resolve the war.

Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, South Korea has aligned itself with U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow and has provided humanitarian and financial assistance to Kyiv. However, it has refrained from directly supplying weapons, adhering to its policy against providing lethal support to nations engaged in active conflicts.