Yesterday at 21:05
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding reports about the possible deployment of North Korean troops to participate in the Russia-Ukraine war.
He wrote about this on X (formerly Twitter).
Rutte discussed with the South Korean president the information regarding the potential dispatch of North Korean soldiers to fight against Ukraine.
“The deployment of North Korean troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine would signify a significant escalation,” emphasized the NATO Secretary General.
They also discussed the partnership between Seoul and NATO, defense-industrial cooperation, and interconnected security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.
It is worth noting that the South Korean intelligence agency reported on Friday that North Korea had sent 1,500 special forces soldiers to the Russian Far East for training and acclimatization at local military bases, and they are likely to be deployed to participate in combat operations against Ukraine.
Later, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused North Korea of preparing to send 10,000 troops to assist Moscow.
On Saturday, October 19, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that he could not confirm reports that North Korea had sent troops to Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine.
Read also: Austin does not confirm the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia to fight against Ukraine
