Brussels: A top South Korean general has urged for a collaborative response to North Korea's military backing of Russia at a recent North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meeting, labeling it a "big" threat to the global community, the South Korean military reported on Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lt. Gen. Son Jeong-hwan, responsible for strategic planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), made these remarks in Brussels during the two-day NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defense session, concluding on Thursday. The JCS indicated that Son highlighted North Korea's military support to Russia and its missile launches as growing threats beyond the Korean Peninsula. He stressed the necessity for coordinated international efforts to counter these developments.
North Korea is believed to have deployed approximately 11,000 troops to assist Russia in its conflict with Ukraine, as estimated by South Korean officials. Son also addressed South Korea's security, mentioning it is being managed despite recent political upheaval due to President Yoon Suk Yeol's temporary martial law implementation last month.
Son attended the session upon NATO's invitation to South Korea, recognizing it as the alliance's Indo-Pacific partner. This participation marks South Korea's tenth appearance at the NATO gathering since its debut in 2010.