Cho Hyun-dong, South Korean Ambassador to the United States, stated on the 17th (local time) regarding foreign media reports that North Korea has deployed troops to the Ukraine war to assist Russia, "There is no confirmed information on how many North Korean soldiers are on the battlefield, but I believe it is highly likely that such an event has already occurred." On the same day, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, who attended the European Union (EU) summit, claimed to have confirmed intelligence that North Korea is preparing to deploy about 10,000 troops to Russia.
At a seminar hosted by the Hudson Institute, a U.S. think tank, on the theme of "Strengthening the Industrial Base of Alliances," Ambassador Cho said, "If that is the case, this is an issue that must be addressed seriously not only by South Korea and the United States but also by other allies and NATO member countries," adding, "We need to cooperate." He also diagnosed, "Russia's reliance on North Korea for weapons supply shows how interlinked security is between the Indo-Pacific and Europe-Atlantic regions."
Ambassador Cho continued, "North Korea expressed hostility by blowing up the road connecting the South and North earlier this week," and evaluated, "Although mostly symbolic, it shows that North Korea has deliberately positioned itself as a threat in two theaters on both sides of the globe." Furthermore, he emphasized, "It is important for the industrial sectors of South Korea, Europe, and the United States to join forces to strengthen cooperation and defense capabilities," adding, "Only then can we respond effectively and in a coordinated manner to the various challenges we face."
Military cooperation between Russia, which invaded Ukraine, and North Korea has recently become more prominent. Following the signing of the North Korea-Russia treaty in June, elevating their relationship to a military alliance level, suspicions persist internationally that North Korea is supplying Russia with ammunition and other weapons. Amid this, claims from the Ukrainian side that North Korea has dispatched troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine have been continuously emerging.
President Zelenskyy, after attending the EU summit held in Brussels, Belgium, stated at a press conference, "According to our intelligence agencies, North Korea is preparing a total of about 10,000 personnel, including ground troops and technicians, to side with Russia and fight against Ukraine." He explained, "Russia is suffering heavy personnel losses and is trying to compensate for the shortage by involving other countries." He also mentioned discussing this matter with U.S. and EU leaders, expressing strong concern that "the participation of a 'second country' in the war is a very urgent issue and the first step toward a world war."
Later, at NATO, he added, "There is intelligence that North Korea is preparing 10,000 soldiers, but these troops have not yet moved to Ukraine or Russia." He added, "If information about troop movements is secured, we will raise this issue." Previously, Ukrainian media reported that Russian forces have formed and are operating a battalion-sized unit of about 3,000 personnel composed of North Korean troops. Western countries, including the United States, have expressed great concern despite being unable to confirm the facts regarding North Korea's troop deployment. Meanwhile, Russia has dismissed Ukraine's claims as fake news.
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