Seoul: President Yoon Suk Yeol raised concerns on Wednesday about the possibility of North Korean troops in Russia being deployed to Ukraine’s battlefields sooner than anticipated, describing the situation as ‘grave’. Yoon conveyed this assessment during a phone conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, highlighting the urgency of the matter.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon emphasized the importance of South Korea and Canada maintaining a strong and unified response with the international community. He announced that a government delegation would participate in the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, hosted by Canada on Wednesday and Thursday, to support Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts.
During the conversation, Yoon expressed optimism that the upcoming 2+2 foreign and defense ministerial meeting in Ottawa on Friday would establish a framework for high-level security dialogue between South Korea and Canada. Additionally, he sought Canadian backing
for South Korean companies’ involvement in Canada’s military acquisition programs.
Trudeau, in response, voiced concerns that North Korean troop deployment to Russia could further escalate the conflict in Ukraine, potentially affecting security in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. He underscored the need for close coordination between the two nations in addressing growing security threats and expressed interest in collaboration within the defense industry, as noted by Yoon’s office.