Photo : YONHAP News
Seoul’s foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to South Korea on Monday to protest the deployment of North Korean troops to assist Russia’s war against Ukraine.
According to the foreign ministry, First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun delivered the government’s position on the matter to Russia’s top envoy to Seoul, Georgy Zinoviev, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the troops as well as the suspension of related agreements.
The ministry said Kim protested the illegal military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in the strongest possible terms.
He also warned that South Korea will respond to activities that threaten its key security interests by mobilizing all means available, together with the international community.
In a Facebook post, the Russian Embassy in Seoul said Zinoviev met with Kim and told the vice minister that North Korea and Russia are engaging in cooperation within the framework of international law, before stressing that such collaboration does not endanger South Korea’s security.
The embassy, however, stopped short of elaborating whether North Korea had indeed sent troops.
The embassy did say that Zinoviev had told Kim that his country and South Korea have conflicting views on what is raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korean government is said to be discussing various measures, including independent sanctions and the deployment of lethal weapons to Ukraine.