North Korea’s Top Diplomat Visits Russia Amid Concerns of Troop Deployment to Ukraine
North Korea’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, has arrived in Russia, fueling concerns over deepening relations between the two countries and potential North Korean military involvement in the Ukraine war, The Associated Press reports.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed Choe’s visit on Tuesday, stating the delegation departed for Russia on Monday, but providing no details on the purpose of the trip.
South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), revealed in a closed-door parliamentary hearing that Choe may be involved in high-level discussions on sending additional troops to Russia and negotiating what the North would receive in return. Lawmakers attending the hearing also shared that the NIS is examining the possibility that some North Korean military personnel, including high-ranking officials, may already be deployed to frontline areas in Ukraine.
These developments come after the Pentagon announced on Monday that North Korea has sent some 10,000 troops to Russia, expected to arrive in Ukraine within the next several weeks. The troops have reportedly been moving closer to Ukraine and are believed to be heading towards the Kursk border region, where Russia has been fighting the Ukrainian incursion.
South Korea and Western leaders have expressed alarm about North Korea’s potential involvement in the Ukraine conflict. They fear that North Korea’s participation could prolong the war and that Russia may offer North Korea advanced technology in return, enhancing its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for closer cooperation with European governments to “monitor and block” illegal exchanges between Pyongyang and Moscow. He also raised the possibility of providing Ukraine with weapons.
North Korea and Russia have denied claims about troop deployments but have acknowledged their military cooperation, asserting it conforms to international law. They have also been accused of supplying Russia with millions of artillery shells and other military equipment. The US and its allies have condemned this as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, raising concerns about Moscow’s role in helping Pyongyang evade sanctions and finance its weapons program.
Russia, along with China, has blocked efforts by the US and its allies to impose stricter sanctions on North Korea. Russia also vetoed a UN resolution to extend the mandate of a panel of monitors, effectively abolishing oversight of UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.
