SEOUL: North Korea’s foreign ministry stated that any alleged deployment of its troops to Russia would be in accordance with international law, marking its first official comment on the matter. This statement follows reports suggesting North Korean involvement in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a senior official from North Korea’s foreign ministry, speaking through the Korean Central News Agency, indicated that if international media reports about North Korean troop dispatches are accurate, such actions would “comply with international law and norms.” Despite these remarks, the official, who is responsible for Russian affairs, did not confirm the troop deployment and noted that it falls under the defense ministry’s jurisdiction.
The comments from North Korea come in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to deny reports of North Korean troops being sent to Russia. Previously, South Korea and the United States claimed that approximately 3,000
North Korean soldiers had been dispatched to eastern Russia, potentially for involvement in the conflict against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Friday that intelligence reports suggest Russia may deploy the first group of North Korean soldiers to combat zones as soon as Sunday or Monday.