South Korea and the EU are concerned about the transfer of Russian technology for North Korean troops

SEOUL – South Korea and the European Union on Monday strongly condemned North Korea’s reported deployment of troops to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine and expressed concern that Russia could reward North Korea by transferring sensitive technology to upgrade its nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea’s military deployment, confirmed by the US and NATO, threatens to extend the nearly 3-year war and create security obstacles in South Korea and elsewhere over what Russia can offer. North Korea.

After the meeting in Seoul, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell issued a joint statement condemning in the “strongest terms” North Korea’s deployment and addressing concerns about the supply of Russian equipment and technology to North Korea. to support its military projects.

“We are also deeply concerned about the possibility of transferring any nuclear or ballistic missile technology to the DPRK, which could undermine international non-proliferation efforts and threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the world wide,” the statement said. DPRK stands for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.

Cho and Borrell called the North Korean deployment a “serious violation” of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and called on North Korea and Russia to immediately withdraw troops from Russia.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, who has been on an official visit to Russia since the end of last week. State television showed them greeting each other, but details of the meeting were not available.

Earlier on Monday, Borrell met with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun and agreed to work together with the international community to try to curb Russian-North Korean security cooperation, according to the ministry. of Defense of South Korea.

North Korea and Russia have not specifically confirmed the North Korean deployment. But both have argued that their military cooperation is in line with international law.

The US government said that about 8,000 North Korean soldiers were in Russia near the Ukrainian border and were preparing to join Russia’s war against Ukraine in the coming days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged allies to stop “watching” and take action before North Korean troops sent to Russia reach the battlefield.

According to US, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence assessments, it is estimated that North Korea has moved a total of 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia. If they start fighting Ukrainian forces, it will mark North Korea’s first participation in a major conflict since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used the Russia-Ukraine war as a way to expand security and economic cooperation with Russia in the face of an intense US-led campaign against his agenda nuclear power that is in progress. The US, South Korea and others accuse North Korea of ​​sending artillery shells, missiles and other conventional weapons to Russia.

In addition to the transfer of Russian weapons technology, South Korean officials are also concerned that Moscow may offer security commitments to North Korea in the event of a war on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean forces in Russia can also learn valuable combat experience and get Russian help to upgrade their old weapons.

In the past two years, Kim has stepped up tests of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, as Russia and China have repeatedly blocked US-led attempts to impose international sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear activities. attempts to defy UN restrictions. Last week, North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to attack the US mainland for the first time in nearly a year.

North Korea has also pushed for severing ties and abandoning its long-standing goal of reconciliation with South Korea.

In an interview with local media on Monday, South Korea’s military said that North Korea had built anti-tank, trench-like structures at two locations near the heavily armed inter-Korean border, where it blew up the northern sections of the road. and unused rail. roads last month in a show of anger at South Korea.

In the event of a war, the North could easily fill trenches with piles of dirt nearby and create avenues to attack the South, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Details of the interview were shared with the Associated Press.

Kim and Tong-Hyung write for the Associated Press.