Seoul: Reports suggesting North Korea has sent troops to assist Russia in the Ukraine conflict could prompt South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to reconsider his country’s support strategy for Ukraine, according to comments made by a U.S. expert on Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Victor Cha, Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, highlighted the potential implications of North Korea’s involvement during a forum. The discussion followed claims that Russia is forming a special battalion expected to include up to 3,000 North Korean soldiers due to a shortage of manpower. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, marking a significant development in military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang that goes beyond their already suspected arms trading activities.
Cha speculated on the possible reactions from South Korea’s leadership, suggesting that the news might significantly alter President Yoon’s approach
. “I would imagine, it would make President Yoon very upset, and who knows what he’s going to do if he’s really upset?” he remarked, indicating the serious ramifications of such a development. Despite existing domestic and legal constraints, Cha urged observers not to underestimate South Korea, citing its history of exceeding international expectations with military contributions in various global conflicts and peacekeeping missions.
South Korea currently maintains a policy of providing non-lethal support to Ukraine, including a recent commitment to double its contributions to a NATO trust fund dedicated to Ukraine, bringing the total to US$24 million by 2025. This is in addition to a $12 million contribution to a NATO aid package and $100 million in humanitarian assistance.
Cha also warned that North Korea’s action of dispatching soldiers could be seen as crossing a significant threshold, potentially dragging the Korean Peninsula into the European conflict. This development might force the South Korean go
vernment to consider more direct forms of support for Ukraine, including military aid or long-term investment plans.