South Korea, EU condemn North Korea’s reported troop deployment to aid Russia’s war in Ukraine. Allies vow to block deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
In a concerning development, top officials from South Korea and the European Union have strongly condemned North Korea’s alleged decision to dispatch troops to support Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
This reported move by Pyongyang threatens to expand the nearly 3-year-long conflict and has raised serious security concerns in the region.
During a meeting in Seoul, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun and the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed “serious concerns” and “strongly condemned” North Korea’s alleged troop deployment.
The two agreed to work together with the international community to obstruct any deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
The U.S. government has stated that around 8,000 North Korean soldiers are currently stationed near the Ukraine border, preparing to join Russia’s forces in the coming days.
This would mark North Korea’s first large-scale involvement in an international conflict since the Korean War.
The move is seen as an attempt by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to expand his country’s defense and economic ties with Russia, despite the intensifying U.S.-led pressure campaign against Pyongyang’s advancing nuclear program.
North Korea has already been accused of exporting conventional arms to Russia to support its war efforts.
Amidst these developments, South Korea’s military has reported the construction of anti-tank, trench-like structures along the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas.
These structures, if filled with dirt, could potentially create invasion routes for North Korea in the event of a conflict.
The growing tensions and the potential for further military cooperation between North Korea and Russia have prompted a strong response from South Korea and the EU.
Their joint condemnation and commitment to work with the international community underscore the gravity of the situation and the shared concern over the implications of North Korea’s reported troop deployment.
As the world watches this unfolding scenario, the pressure mounts on all parties to find a diplomatic solution and prevent the expansion of the Russia-Ukraine war into an even more complex and volatile regional conflict.
