“Yoon Seok-yeol expressed hope that Seoul and Kyiv will effectively respond to security threats”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
Later, a Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umyerov met separately with Yun’s national security adviser Shin Won-sik and Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to discuss cooperation between the two countries. During the meetings, Umerov informed South Korean officials about the state of the Russian-Ukrainian war and expressed hope that Kyiv and Seoul would strengthen cooperation, the report said.
South Korea’s presidential office informs that the parties agreed to cooperate with friendly countries, continuing to exchange information on North Korea’s deployment of troops in Russia and the transfer of weapons and technology between Russia and North Korea. The office also noted that since the Biden administration and President-elect Trump are responding to the situation in Ukraine as one team, they have decided to communicate and cooperate closely with the United States.
However, the statement did not say whether the parties discussed the possible supply of weapons by Seoul to Ukraine. The South Korean news agency Yonhap writes that Umerov did not answer the question of their journalists whether the supply of weapons was discussed during the meeting with Yoon Seok-yol.
Kyiv has not yet announced the results of these negotiations.
Umerov was expected to share intelligence about the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia and ask South Korea to support Ukraine’s military efforts.
The visit comes about a month after the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, during a telephone conversation with Yun, announced Kyiv’s plans to send a delegation to South Korea.
In addition, in October, Zelensky announced that Ukraine plans to send a detailed request to South Korea “in the near future”, which will include the necessary weapons for Ukrainian defenders.
Yoon also stated that Seoul may consider providing military support to Ukraine depending on the level of military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the first military units from the DPRK arrived in the combat zone of the Russian-Ukrainian war – on October 23, “their appearance was recorded in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.” According to GUR estimates, the number of North Korean troops transferred to Russia is now about 12,000, including 500 officers, including three Pyongyang generals.
According to the latest Pentagon data, Russia has drawn more than 12,000 troops from North Korea to support its invasion of Ukraine. However, the US Defense Ministry does not currently confirm the presence of North Korean forces on the territory of Ukraine.
On October 22, South Korea announced a possible review of support for Kyiv, in particular regarding the provision of lethal weapons and the deployment of personnel, depending on the situation in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, commenting on information about the transfer of North Korean troops to Russia, did not deny these data. But he recalled the strategic partnership agreement with North Korea, noting that Moscow “never doubted that the North Korean leadership takes our agreements seriously.”