South Korean Prez, Zelensky strongly condemn North Korea-Russia military cooperation

Seoul: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and vowed to actively share information on battlefields to coordinate countermeasures.

Yoon and Zelensky held the talks via phone as North Korea sent its troops to Russia's Kursk region near the border with Ukraine for possible frontline deployment in what would be a major escalation in the ongoing war, Yonhap news agency reported.

"The two leaders condemned the illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including arms transfers and troop deployments, in the strongest terms and agreed to pursue strategic consultations for a joint response," the presidential office said in a release.

Yoon said South Korea will not overlook the deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow and vowed to take "phased measures" in response to the growing security threats.

"North Korea is taking unprecedented and dangerous steps by deploying special forces to Russia, beyond merely providing military support," Yoon said, stressing the need for close communication and coordinated responses between South Korea and Ukraine.

Yoon expressed concern over the possibility of Moscow transferring sensitive military technology to Pyongyang in return for the troop deployment and North Korean forces gaining combat experience from the Ukraine conflict, which could pose a significant security risk to South Korea.

Zelensky expressed his gratitude for South Korea's continued support, including the decision to send a government delegation to Kyiv.

He warned that North Korean troop deployments to Ukrainian front lines could signal an "unprecedented new phase" in the conflict and said Ukraine will dispatch a delegation to South Korea soon for further coordination.