SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte shared their concerns regarding North Korea’s preparations to send troops to Russia during a phone conversation on Monday, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. The talks, initiated by Rutte, focused on the growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow and potential joint responses.
President Yoon highlighted the link between Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and North Korea’s involvement, stressing the broader security implications. “The military alignment between Russia and North Korea once again confirms that the security of the Indo-Pacific region and the Atlantic region are inextricably linked,” Yoon stated. He emphasized that such cooperation undermines the international rules-based order and poses a threat to peace both on the Korean Peninsula and globally.
Yoon made it clear that South Korea would not remain passive in the face of these developments, saying the government would actively take “phased measures” in response to the growing military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. He also expressed hope for “practical countermeasures” through cooperation with NATO and its member states.
NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed “serious concerns” over North Korea’s decision to send troops to Russia, which he said was a blatant violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions. Rutte assured Yoon that NATO is prepared to actively collaborate with South Korea in addressing the situation and emphasized the importance of strengthening defense industry cooperation and security dialogue between South Korea, NATO, and Ukraine.
Both leaders agreed to closely monitor the ongoing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, particularly the potential transfer of sensitive technology, and explore possible joint responses. The call reinforced the shared understanding that the evolving situation requires coordinated action to uphold international security and stability.
The conversation comes after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed last Friday that North Korea plans to send around 12,000 troops to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, with approximately 1,500 soldiers already dispatched to Russia’s Far East.
The growing military ties between Russia and North Korea have raised alarms in the international community, with concerns about the potential consequences of further escalation. Both South Korea and NATO stressed the importance of a unified response to maintain global peace and security in light of these developments.
