Seoul: South Korea on Monday strongly condemned North Korea's first public admission of sending troops to Russia in support of its war against Ukraine, accusing Pyongyang of "mocking" the international community by justifying the deployment. The foreign ministry issued the statement after the North confirmed through its state media that it has deployed troops to Russia to aid Moscow's war in Kyiv under their mutual defense treaty.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Pyongyang stated that the decision was made at the behest of its leader Kim Jong-un, claiming it was fully legitimate in line with the treaty committing the two sides to providing military assistance if either of them is attacked.
The South Korean ministry criticized the North's justification, stating, "With their public admission of the deployment, while claiming they are fully in accordance with international law, they are once again mocking the international community. We strongly condemn this action."
The statement further highlighted that the dispatch of North Korean troops, along with broader military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, constitutes a violation of international norms, including the U.N. Charter and U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The South Korean government urged Russia and North Korea to "immediately cease their unlawful military cooperation," emphasizing that it "seriously undermines peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, including Europe."
"We will work closely with the international community to take all necessary measures against any actions that threaten our national security," the ministry concluded.