NEW YORK: The United Nations has voiced its opposition to any further militarization of the Ukraine conflict, highlighting concerns over reports of North Korean troops potentially supporting Russian forces. This stance comes as the international community grapples with the implications of increased military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, stated at a press briefing that the U.N. is firmly against any escalation of military involvement in Ukraine by any nation. This declaration follows confirmations from Seoul and Washington that approximately 3,000 North Korean troops were recently transported to eastern Russia by ship, signaling a deepening alliance between North Korea and Russia.
Haq underscored the U.N.’s position by responding to inquiries about the secretary-general’s stance on the involvement of military troops from any U.N. member state in aiding Russia’s efforts against Ukraine
. He reiterated the importance of addressing any breaches of the sanctions imposed on North Korea, urging the U.N. Security Council’s sanctions committee to examine and respond to such violations.
South Korea has expressed its belief that North Korea’s actions, including the provision of arms and troops to Russia, contravene multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, further complicating the geopolitical landscape surrounding the Ukraine conflict.