Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said Tuesday that he and Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, had talked about the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia and had decided to increase security cooperation.
Concern among Ukraine’s allies is growing about the alleged movement of thousands of North Korean soldiers to Russia to support Moscow’s invasion attempts, which prompted the leaders to make the call.
“We discussed the involvement of North Korean military forces in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The conclusion is clear: this war is becoming internationalised, extending beyond two countries,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
In the meantime, President Yoon called the North Korean troop transfer “unprecedented and dangerous” and called for “close communication and counteractions going forward”.
According to their offices’ readouts of the call, Zelensky and Yoon affirmed that South Korea and Ukraine would send delegations to each other’s nations in order to further their intelligence and security cooperation.
South Korea will continue to support peace “while working with allies to explore additional cooperation measures for the people of Ukraine,” Yoon stated, according to his office.
Shortly after North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s official arrival in Russia, news broke of the leaders’ phone call.
