South Korea summons Russian ambassador over alleged North Korean troop deployment to Ukraine

South Korea’s foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador in Seoul on 21 October to protest what it claims is the sending of North Korean troops to Russia for potential deployment in the war against Ukraine.

This comes amid news that thousands of North Korean troops are undergoing training in Russia and will be ready to fight alongside Russian forces by 1 November, according to Ukraine’s intelligence. However, there is no confirmed evidence that they have already engaged in combat in Ukraine. The US and other Western countries have expressed serious concern over these reports, viewing them as an alarming escalation. South Korea is particularly threatened by this emboldened move by its authoritarian, militarized neighbor.

South Korea’s first vice foreign minister, Kim Hong-kyun, called in Russian ambassador Georgy Zinoviev and urged the immediate withdrawal of North Korean soldiers from Russia, according to Reuters. 

Kim argued that the participation of North Korean troops in the Ukraine war violated UN resolutions and the UN charter, posing serious threats to South Korea’s security and beyond.

He added that South Korea would respond jointly with the international community by mobilizing all available means against acts threatening their core security interests.

The Russian embassy reported that Zinoviev told Kim that Moscow’s and Pyongyang’s cooperation was under international law and not directed against South Korea’s security interests.

South Korea’s spy agency claimed last week that North Korea had shipped 1,500 special forces troops to Russia’s Far East for training and acclimatization at local military bases, likely to be deployed for combat in Ukraine. 

The United States stated on Friday it could not confirm reports of North Korean troops fighting but said that if true, it would be a “dangerous development” in Russia’s war against Ukraine. South Korea’s defense ministry confirmed it had consulted Washington before the spy agency’s announcement and condemned North Korea’s alleged illegal involvement in Ukraine.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressed hope that all parties would work to de-escalate the situation.

In June, Russia and North Korea strengthened their partnership by signing a mutual defense pact, aligning against Western influence. The agreement emphasizes military cooperation, including potential weapons exchanges and support.

The US House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner warned that North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine “must be a red line” for the US, potentially prompting a stronger American response.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Russia’s reliance on North Korean troops in the war, calling it a sign of Moscow’s growing “desperation.”

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