South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held consecutive phone calls with the European Union (EU) and NATO on Monday to discuss North Korea’s potential troop deployment to Russia.
During his afternoon call with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Yoon stated, “We face a grave situation where North Korean troops could be deployed to the Ukrainian frontlines faster than anticipated.”
Yoon stressed that “this illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia fundamentally undermines the rules-based international order and poses a threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and globally.” He pledged that South Korea would take phased countermeasures based on further developments in the North Korea-Russia alliance.
He also expressed gratitude for the EU’s swift and strong condemnation following news of North Korea’s potential troop deployment. “I hope to work together with the EU and its member states to explore concrete countermeasures,” he added.
Von der Leyen echoed Yoon’s concerns regarding North Korea’s troop deployment, which directly violates international law and UN Security Council resolutions. She also thanked South Korea for sending a government delegation to share information with the EU, following a similar briefing to NATO.
Later that day, Yoon spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, marking their second call in a week. The discussion focused on recent intelligence about North Korean troop involvement trends and possible response strategies. Yoon urged NATO to strengthen its unity and intensify efforts to monitor and disrupt illegal exchanges between Russia and North Korea. He assured Rutte of South Korea’s continued consultation with NATO.
Following this conversation, Yoon stated that South Korean officials would brief the EU’s Political and Security Committee on Tuesday. The delegation will then visit Ukraine to share information with intelligence and defense officials and discuss future cooperation.
Rutte pointed out that North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia and the illegal military cooperation between the two countries are escalating the conflict and posing a severe threat to international peace and prosperity. He highlighted that NATO’s North Atlantic Council, along with ambassadors from NATO’s Indo-Pacific partners—Japan, Australia, and New Zealand—had attentively listened to the Korean delegation’s briefing.
Rutte expressed his desire to maintain communication with Ukraine, regularly share battlefield information, and consult with South Korea on countermeasures.
Most Commented