South Korea has issued a stern warning, suggesting it may provide weapons to Ukraine, in response to reports that North Korea has allegedly sent troops to support Russia in its ongoing conflict. This move is aimed at pressuring Russia to avoid involving North Korean forces in its war against Ukraine.
South Korean officials have condemned the alleged deployment of North Korean troops as a “grave security threat” to both South Korea and the international community, describing North Korea as a “criminal group” that forces its youth to serve as mercenaries in Russia’s unjustifiable war, as reported by Associated Press.
The situation remains tense, with both Russia and North Korea denying the allegations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that 10,000 North Korean troops are being prepared to join Russian forces .
South Korea’s concern is that Russia may reward North Korea with advanced weapons technology, enhancing its nuclear and missile capabilities, and directly threatening South Korea’s security.
In response, South Korea’s foreign ministry called the Russian ambassador to discuss the matter, and Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun stated that South Korea will respond jointly with the international community to address this threat .
The council agreed to implement phased countermeasures, linking the level of their response to the progression of Russian-North Korean military cooperation. These measures could include diplomatic, economic, and military options, with the possibility of South Korea sending both defensive and offensive weapons to Ukraine.
A senior South Korean presidential official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that North Korea may seek advanced Russian technology to perfect its nuclear missile systems. The official also expressed concern that Russia’s assistance in modernising North Korea’s outdated conventional weapons and acquiring space-based surveillance systems would pose a serious security threat to South Korea.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, South Korea has supported US-led sanctions against Moscow and provided humanitarian and financial aid to Kyiv. However, it has refrained from supplying arms, in line with its policy of not providing weapons to countries actively involved in conflicts.
Last week, South Korea’s intelligence agency confirmed that North Korea had dispatched 1,500 special forces to Russia in October. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stated that intelligence indicated 10,000 North Korean soldiers were preparing to join Russian forces in Ukraine.
Increased North Korea-Russia cooperation
North Korea and Russia have significantly boosted their military cooperation in recent years. In June, the two countries signed a major defence agreement, pledging mutual military assistance if either were attacked. South Korea had previously said it would consider sending arms to Ukraine, and reiterated that stance on Tuesday.
South Korea’s spy agency also reported that North Korea had shipped more than 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles, and other conventional weapons to Russia since August 2023 to replenish its depleting stockpiles.
Both North Korea and Russia have denied the troop deployment and the arms transfer allegations. At a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, Russia’s UN Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, dismissed the South Korean accusations, as well as Western claims about Iran and China supplying arms to Russia.
He accused the West of “scaremongering with Iranian, Chinese, and Korean bogeymen,” describing the allegations as increasingly absurd.
A North Korean diplomat also dismissed the reports of troop deployment, calling them “groundless, stereotype rumours” aimed at tarnishing North Korea’s image and undermining its legitimate cooperation with Russia.
Additionally, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, labelled the governments of South Korea and Ukraine “lunatics” for making what she termed “reckless remarks against nuclear weapons states.”
While the US and NATO have not confirmed the North Korean troop deployment, US Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, warned that if the reports were accurate, it would mark “a dangerous and highly concerning development.” He added that the US is “consulting with our allies and partners” regarding the situation.
(with inputs from AP)