NATO awaiting from Seoul confirmation of N. Korean troops being engaged in Russian war - Rutte

NATO expects to hear a detailed report from South Korea regarding the alleged dispatch of North Korean troops to engage in Russia’s war against Ukraine, which would be a significant escalation if confirmed. At the same time, until NATO gets all the details from partners in South Korea, the Alliance cannot confirm the fact that Pyongyang is coaching North Korean troops to Russia.

This was stated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today in Tallinn during a joint press conference with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I discussed this yesterday in a telephone call with the president of South Korea. Of course we discussed the ongoing cooperation between South Korea and NATO, and we just ended on Thursday a very successful meeting of the NATO defense ministers together with their colleagues from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan. This phone call yesterday was very much focusing on the deeper case of North Korea," Mark Rutte said.

Read also: Pressure on North Korea “not strong enough” - Zelensky

He noted that he had asked the South Korean president to send his experts to brief the North Atlantic Council in detail about the situation around the involvement of North Korean troops in the Russian war against Ukraine. According to the head of the Alliance, he received a positive response, and such a meeting will be held early next week.

"Then we will see whether North Korea is indeed or not supporting Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. If it is the case, if they are sending troops to Ukraine, it will mark a significant escalation. But at this moment I cannot confirm it," the NATO Secretary General said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Kyrylo Budanov, said that about 11,000 North Korean soldiers are undergoing training in Russia to engage in the war against Ukraine, set be ready for deployment by November 1.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said Ukraine is awaiting an honest and strong reaction from its partners regarding the deployment of North Korean forces.