South Korean President Says Serious Change, Prepares to "Send" Delegation to Ukraine

On October 29, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol had a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about information about North Korea deploying troops to Russia.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has held several phone calls with allies and partners regarding the news of North Korea sending troops to Russia. (Source: Yonhap)

According to Yonhap news agency, in a conversation with NATO Secretary General, Mr. Yoon Seok Yeol said that Seoul is expected to send a delegation to Ukraine this week.

Noting that the situation was turning serious as the deployment of North Korean units in the conflict zone could happen faster than expected, the South Korean president discussed measures to prevent any cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang with Secretary-General Rutte.

The leader also expressed hope that NATO would increase surveillance and efforts to prevent the possibility of exchanging weapons or resources between the two countries.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte officially confirmed for the first time that Pyongyang sent troops to support Moscow in the conflict in Ukraine, saying that North Korean troops were spotted in Russia's Kursk province.

In a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky, President Yoon Suk Yeol warned that Seoul will not ignore the deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, and vowed to take phased measures to respond to growing security threats.

He also expressed concern about the possibility of Russia transferring sensitive military technology to North Korea in exchange for the deployment of North Korean troops and forces gaining combat experience from the Ukraine conflict, which could pose a significant security risk to South Korea.

For his part, President Zelensky expressed agreement with his South Korean counterpart on strengthening communication at all levels to develop strategies and measures to counter Pyongyang's involvement in the conflict in the Eastern European country. He also affirmed that Kiev and Seoul will soon exchange delegations to coordinate actions.

In addition, the Ukrainian leader shared data on North Korea's deployment of troops to Russian training facilities near the front, predicting that the number will reach 12,000 troops.

According to analysts, the exchange of delegations, with the visit of the South Korean delegation to Ukraine, will become a symbol of unity and strengthen Seoul's position in the international arena.

Moscow and Pyongyang have previously denied reports of the presence of North Korean military personnel in Russia.

However, on October 25, the North Korean Foreign Ministry said that if Pyongyang took such steps, it would be in line with international norms, despite other parties' attempts to portray the move as illegal.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not deny the information, saying: "If there are images, they reflect something."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thong-tin-quan-doi-trieu-tien-o-nga-tong-thong-han-quoc-noi-chuyen-bien-nghiem-trong-chuan-bi-tung-phai-doan-den-ukraine-291854.html