Beirut: South Korea said Monday that it is closely monitoring the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, while Japan condemned the coordination following reports that Moscow is preparing to receive another 30,000 North Korean troops to support its war in Ukraine. The reactions follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's remarks on Saturday that Russia seeks to bring 30,000 North Korean troops to take part in the ongoing war in his country. Zelenskyy alleged that Moscow has been preparing to receive North Korean troops in its Voronezh border region since last month and also claimed that Pyongyang is preparing to transfer new ballistic missile launchers to Russia.
According to Anadolu Agency, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it was closely watching developments surrounding military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow but declined to comment on intelligence matters. "The government is closely monitoring developments related to military cooperation between North Korea and Russia," the ministry said. It reiterated Seoul's long-standing position that "military cooperation between North Korea and Russia in violation of UN Security Council resolutions must be stopped immediately."
Russia and North Korea have deepened political and military ties since signing a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in June 2024 that includes provisions for mutual assistance.
Separately, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Kihara on Monday strongly condemned the expanding military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including Pyongyang's dispatch of troops to Russia and Moscow's procurement and use of North Korean weapons, including ballistic missiles, according to Fuji News Network. "We strongly condemn the advancing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea," Kihara said, warning that such cooperation would not only worsen the situation in Ukraine but also pose "serious concerns" for Japan's regional security.
He said Tokyo would continue gathering and analyzing relevant information while working with the international community to ensure full implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and support efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. South Korean government sources cited by Yonhap said there were no confirmed indications of a fresh troop deployment. Seoul believes North Korea has already sent around 20,000 troops and military engineers to Russia, with an estimated 14,000 currently serving on the front lines.