In a recent interview, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-don raised significant concerns about the growing military partnership between North Korea and Russia. He suggested that North Korea might be preparing to send regular armed forces to Ukraine to aid Russia, underscoring a notable escalation in military cooperation between the two countries.
According to a South Korean news agency, this potential development comes on the heels of the “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty,” which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed during their summit in June. This treaty permits either nation to call for military assistance if one party faces invasion or conflict.
During a parliamentary audit meeting, Minister Kim pointed out that the existence of this military agreement signals a strong likelihood of such deployments taking place.
Adding to these concerns, recent reports from the Russian-occupied eastern region of Ukraine, particularly Donetsk, noted that six officers from the North Korean People’s Army were killed and three others wounded in a Ukrainian airstrike, lending further credence to these troubling developments.