NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned Pyongyang and Moscow about sending North Korean soldiers to fight in the Ukraine war.
North Korea deploying soldiers to fight with Russia in North Korea “would mark a significant escalation,” Rutte said on X after talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The two spoke about the close relationship between South Korea and the Western military alliance, Rutte said, noting their cooperation in the defence industry and their “interconnected security.”
On Friday, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) accused the North Korean army of having already sent around 1,500 soldiers to Russia for training ahead of their expected deployment in Ukraine.
In total, the agency said North Korea has decided to send around 12,000 soldiers to provide support for Russia, including special units.
