Photo: 112.ua
North Korea has strongly rejected accusations from South Korea and Ukraine that it may be sending its military to support Russia in the war in Ukraine, calling the allegations “baseless rumours”. The official representative of the country stressed that relations with Moscow are “legitimate and capable of cooperation”. This was reported by the Yonhap news agency.
North Korea’s response
This was the first public reaction from North Korea after a statement by South Korea’s intelligence agency claiming that Pyongyang was allegedly planning to send around 12,000 troops to fight on Russia’s side. Reportedly, 1,500 soldiers have already been sent to Vladivostok for training.
The representative of North Korea at a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security said: “My delegation does not consider it necessary to comment on such baseless stereotypical rumours that aim to discredit the image of the DPRK and undermine the legitimate relations of friendship between two sovereign states.”
Reaction of the Kremlin and the international community
North Korean state media have not yet commented on the possible deployment of troops. The Kremlin has also refused to confirm information about the participation of North Korean troops in the conflict, while criticising the United States for not supporting South Korea’s claims.
Washington, in turn, also did not confirm the information about the possible deployment of troops from North Korea, but stressed that such a situation could be of serious concern if it did occur.
A call to the international community
At a UN Security Council meeting held the same day, South Korean Ambassador to the UN Hwang Jun Kook called for an urgent end to the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which, in his view, could turn Pyongyang into an “active belligerent” in the conflict.
“We are well aware that North Korea is a habitual violator of international norms and Security Council resolutions. However, Pyongyang’s recent actions have even surprised us,” Hwang said, condemning Russia for “betting” out of desperation by involving a third country in its aggression.
“It is hard to believe that a permanent member of the Security Council would take such a war-changing gamble,” he concluded, demanding an immediate end to Russia’s and North Korea’s violations of international obligations.
