Kehinde Fajobi
South Korea has summoned the Russian ambassador, Georgiy Zinoviev, demanding the “immediate withdrawal” of North Korean troops allegedly being trained to fight in Ukraine.
According to South Korea’s intelligence agency, approximately 1,500 North Korean soldiers, including special forces, have already arrived in Russia.
During the meeting, South Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun condemned the deployment and warned that Seoul would “respond with all measures available.”
In response, Zinoviev stated he would convey these concerns but emphasized that cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is “within the framework of international law,” without confirming the allegations regarding North Korean troops.
North Korea has not commented on these claims, although South Korea has long accused the North of supplying weapons to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.
Reports from South Korean media suggest that as many as 12,000 North Korean soldiers could be deployed, with Kim noting that this development “not only gravely threatens South Korea but the international community.”
The cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang has intensified since leaders Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a security pact in June, promising mutual support in case of aggression against either country. Last week, Putin introduced a bill to ratify this pact.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described the potential deployment of North Korean troops as a “significant escalation” in the conflict. During a phone call, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol urged NATO to explore “concrete countermeasures” and expressed intentions to enhance security cooperation with Ukraine and the alliance.
British Foreign Minister David Lammy, currently visiting Seoul, labelled Russia’s actions as “reckless and illegal,” affirming that London would collaborate with Seoul in response. The United States and Japan have also condemned the deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia.
In response to inquiries about the North Korea-Russia cooperation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressed hopes that all parties would seek to de-escalate tensions and work towards a political solution to the Ukraine crisis.
Defense experts have warned that North Korea’s involvement could complicate the conflict, potentially leading to greater international engagement. Moon Seong-mok from the Korea National Strategy Institute noted that “the international community will likely increase sanctions and pressure on both Russia and North Korea.”
However, others believe integrating North Korean troops into Russian military units could prove challenging due to language barriers and a lack of recent combat experience.
Valeriy Ryabykh, editor of the Ukrainian publication Defence Express, suggested that North Korean soldiers might be assigned to guard areas along the Russian-Ukrainian border, allowing Russian units to focus on frontline combat.
“I would rule out the possibility that these units will immediately appear on the front line,” he concluded.