SEOUL, South Korea — On Monday, South Korea called for the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops allegedly stationed in Russia, as it summoned the Russian ambassador to express its concerns over the increasing military partnership between North Korea and Moscow.
According to South Korea’s intelligence agency, it was confirmed that North Korea dispatched 1,500 special operation forces to Russia earlier this month to assist in Moscow’s efforts in the ongoing war against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously indicated that his government had intelligence suggesting that as many as 10,000 North Korean soldiers were being readied to support invading Russian troops.
During a meeting with Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev, South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun strongly condemned North Korea’s troop deployment, stating that it presents a “grave security threat” to not only South Korea but the international community as a whole, as noted in a statement from the South Korean Foreign Ministry.
Kim emphasized that South Korea, in partnership with the international community, would employ all necessary measures to address actions that could undermine its fundamental national security interests. Zinoviev responded by saying he would communicate South Korea’s stance to his government, according to the foreign ministry statement.
The Russian Embassy cited Zinoviev’s comments which asserted that the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is compliant with international laws and not intended to jeopardize South Korea’s security.
As of now, the U.S. and NATO have not verified the claims regarding the presence of North Korean troops in Russia. However, the reports have raised alarms in South Korea regarding the possibility that Russia could provide North Korea with advanced technology that could significantly advance its nuclear and missile capabilities in exchange for troop support.
North Korea’s growing nuclear inventory is seen as a significant security challenge for South Korea. Recent statements from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un indicate a move towards permanently severing ties with South Korea, while threatening the use of nuclear weapons preemptively. Analysts suggest that if it becomes clear that Russia is transferring advanced nuclear and missile technologies to North Korea, South Korea may reconsider its stance and potentially supply weapons to Ukraine.
South Korea has participated in U.S.-led sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 but has refrained from providing arms to Ukraine, maintaining a long-standing policy of not supplying weapons to nations engaged in conflict.
Previously, Russia has denied claims of employing North Korean troops in its conflict with Ukraine, while North Korean state media has remained silent on the situation. Should North Korea’s troops actually be deployed to Russia, it would mark their first involvement in a significant war since the Korean War, which occurred from 1950 to 1953. Many experts raise doubts about the effectiveness of North Korean troops in actual combat due to their limited battlefield experience.
The relationship between North Korea and Russia has strengthened over the last two years, with the U.S., South Korea, and their allies accusing North Korea of supplying conventional weaponry to Russia in exchange for economic and military support. In June, a pact was signed between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which outlined mutual military assistance should either nation face an attack.