South Korea has taken diplomatic action against Russia, summoning Ambassador Georgiy Zinoviev to demand the “immediate withdrawal” of North Korean troops allegedly being trained for combat in Ukraine. According to Seoul’s intelligence agency, approximately 1,500 North Korean soldiers, including special forces personnel, have already arrived in Russia.
During the meeting, South Korean Vice-Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun strongly condemned the deployment and warned that Seoul would “respond with all measures available.” Ambassador Zinoviev acknowledged the concerns but defended Russian-North Korean cooperation as being “within the framework of international law,” without explicitly confirming the presence of North Korean troops.
The Kremlin’s response came through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who insisted that cooperation between the two nations “is not directed against third countries” and “should not worry anyone.” These developments follow the June security pact between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which promises mutual assistance in case of “aggression” against either country.
South Korean media reports suggest the potential deployment could reach 12,000 North Korean soldiers. This escalation has prompted international response, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte describing it as a “significant escalation” in the Ukraine conflict. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has urged NATO to explore “concrete countermeasures” and pledged to strengthen security cooperation between South Korea, Ukraine, and NATO.
Defense experts offer varying perspectives on the impact of North Korean involvement. Moon Seong-mok from the Korea National Strategy Institute warns that North Korea’s participation could lead to broader international involvement and increased sanctions. However, some analysts point to practical challenges, including language barriers and North Korea’s lack of recent combat experience.
Ukrainian military analyst Valeriy Ryabykh suggests that North Korean troops might be assigned to guard Russian-Ukrainian border sections, freeing Russian units for combat elsewhere, rather than being immediately deployed to the front lines.
The United States, Japan, and Britain have joined South Korea in condemning the deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia. British Foreign Minister David Lammy, visiting Seoul, characterized Russia’s actions as “reckless and illegal” and promised cooperation with South Korea on response measures.
