Yoon: "Will Not Tolerate Russia-North Korea Military Pact"... Zelensky: "War Enters New Phase"

Yoon Talks with President Zelensky... Discusses Response
"Dangerous and Unprecedented... Major Threat to Security"
Ukraine to Soon Send Special Envoy to Korea

President Yoon Suk-yeol is having a phone conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, on the 29th at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the afternoon of the 29th, during which they discussed response measures related to North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia and participation in the Ukraine war, the presidential office announced.

In the call, President Yoon stated, "North Korea is engaging in a dangerous and unprecedented act by dispatching special forces, going beyond military weapon support to Russia," and added, "As direct stakeholders in the close military ties between Russia and North Korea, South Korea and Ukraine should maintain close communication and coordinate responses moving forward."

President Yoon also said, "Our government has urgently dispatched delegations to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), and Ukraine to transparently share our information regarding North Korea's troop deployment with our allies," and expressed hope that "active information exchange and cooperation between South Korea and Ukraine will continue."

In particular, President Yoon emphasized, "Our government will not tolerate the military collusion between Russia and North Korea that threatens our security, and we will closely monitor the battlefield situation and take effective, phased countermeasures."

He further stated, "While the possibility of Russia transferring sensitive military technology to North Korea is a concern, if North Korea, which has not experienced modern warfare since the Korean War, imparts the experience gained from the Ukraine war to its entire military force of over one million, it will pose a significant threat to our security."

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine
[Photo by Yonhap News]

President Zelensky stressed, "The deployment of North Korean troops to the Ukrainian front is imminent," adding, "This is ushering the war into a new phase unlike anything experienced before."

President Zelensky said, "In response to this threat, we will continue cooperation with our allies and actively share information and expand communication with South Korea."

On this day, the two leaders strongly condemned Russia and North Korea's illegal military cooperation, including the transfer of military weapons and troop deployment by North Korea, using the strongest language, and agreed to pursue strategic consultations for joint responses, the presidential office said.

To this end, President Zelensky plans to dispatch a special envoy to South Korea soon.

The presidential office explained, "While continuing support in the areas of security, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction based on the 'Ukraine Peace Solidarity Initiative,' we have agreed to explore additional cooperation measures for the Ukrainian people together with our allies."