WASHINGTON: The national security advisors of South Korea, the United States, and Japan expressed “grave concern” on Friday regarding North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia, potentially for use in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This development, they warned, underscores a deepening military collaboration between Pyongyang and Moscow, which they urged to cease immediately, according to a White House official.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this joint statement came after a trilateral meeting in Washington attended by South Korea’s National Security Advisor Shin Won-sik, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Japan’s National Security Advisor Takeo Akiba. The officials convened to address the recent troop movements and other regional concerns, amid confirmations from Seoul and Washington that North Korea has dispatched thousands of troops to eastern Russia earlier this month.
In a virtual briefing, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby noted the deployment is part of a troubli
ng pattern of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which includes arms and ballistic missile exchanges that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. Kirby emphasized that such actions extend the security implications of Russia’s conflict beyond Europe into the Indo-Pacific region.
The national security advisors reaffirmed their commitment to regional and global security, advocating for continued collaboration to address these challenges. Shin and Sullivan also held bilateral talks, condemning North Korea’s support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine and discussing potential responses to further military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
Shin highlighted the unanimous stance among Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo on the severity of the situation, stating that North Korea’s actions are a clear violation of international resolutions and threaten global security. He stressed the importance of a coordinated international response to address the burgeoning military alignment between Pyongyang
and Moscow.
Separately, Shin and Akiba engaged in bilateral discussions to enhance cooperation, particularly as the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Japan approaches. Meanwhile, North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu, speaking via state media, appeared to acknowledge the troop deployment, framing it as compliant with international law.
The meeting marked the second gathering of the three countries’ national security advisors since a landmark summit at Camp David last year and underscored the ongoing commitment to trilateral cooperation in addressing regional and global security challenges.