South Korean Delegation Will Visit Ukraine to Discuss North Korean Troop Deployment

A South Korean delegation will visit Ukraine later this week to provide insights on North Korean troops in Russia and discuss potential cooperation, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced on October 28, according to Yonhap news agency.

"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 stated.

His remarks follow NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's confirmation on October 28 that North Korea had deployed troops to Russia after discussions with South Korean defense and intelligence officials.

Yoon also mentioned that the South Korean delegation would brief the EU Political and Security Committee on October 29 before traveling to Ukraine to meet with intelligence and defense officials to share battlefield information and explore cooperation options.

"It is a grave situation where the actual deployment of North Korean troops to the front lines in Ukraine could happen sooner than expected," Yoon added.

Yoon urged the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops and the halting of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, promising to seek "practical response measures" in collaboration with the EU and its member states.

It was reported earlier that Yoon is considering providing weapons to Ukraine, depending on the scale of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.

On October 14, Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, referenced intelligence reports indicating North Korea's de facto involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

US Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, stated on October 23 in Rome that there is evidence of North Korean troops in Russia, marking the first public confirmation from the US in response to multiple reports from Ukraine and South Korea.