South Korea to send delegation to Ukraine this week over North Korean troop presence

After briefing the EU Political and Security Committee, the delegation will visit Ukraine to share intelligence and discuss cooperation measures.

Oct 30, 2024 - 01:00
South Korea to send delegation to Ukraine this week over North Korean troop presence

south korea send delegation ukraine week over north korean troop presence president yoon suk yeol speaks during his phone call european commission ursula von der leyen seoul 28 october 2024

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced on 28 October that a delegation will visit Ukraine this week to share intelligence about North Korean troop deployment to Russia and discuss cooperation measures, Yonhap News reports.

Earlier, South Korea’s intelligence indicated that Pyongyang sent 3,000 troops to Russia with plans to deploy 10,000 by December to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. The first D​PRK military units, trained at Russia’s eastern training grounds, have already arrived in the combat zone, particularly in Kursk Oblast, as per the Ukrainian military.

According to Yoon’s office, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed during a phone call that North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk Oblast, a front-line area north of Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast.

I hope that under Secretary General Rutte’s leadership, NATO will redouble efforts to monitor and block illegal exchanges between Russia and North Korea in solidarity and coordination,” Yoon said during the call.

The South Korean delegation will brief the EU Political and Security Committee on 29 October before proceeding to Ukraine for meetings with intelligence and defense officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated on 27 October that North Korean forces might join the war “in a matter of days.”

“This unlawful military cooperation between Russia and North Korea fundamentally undermines the rules-based international order and poses a threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and globally,” Yoon stated, calling for immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops and cessation of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Last week, Yoon indicated Seoul might consider providing arms to Ukraine, potentially shifting from its current policy of humanitarian aid only.

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