Analyst says Russia may become 'real threat' to South Korea as North Korea sends troops to Kursk

Record ID: 1852674

  • Title: Analyst says Russia may become 'real threat' to South Korea as North Korea sends troops to Kursk
  • Date: 30th October 2024
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (OCTOBER 30, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHIEF OF GLOBAL STRATEGY DIVISION AT THE KOREA INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES, DOO JIN-HO, SPEAKING AT INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) CHIEF OF GLOBAL STRATEGY DIVISION AT THE KOREA INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES, DOO JIN-HO, SAYING: “The fact that North Korea has voluntarily dispatched their troops to Russia could
  • Embargoed: 13th November 2024 10:56
  • Keywords: North Korea Russia Seoul South Korea Ukraine analysis analyst dispatch envoy military soldiers troop
  • Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA
  • City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA001570530102024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The presence of North Korean troops in Russia for possible deployment to Ukraine could mean a significant escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to Seoul and Washington.
    The U.S. said on Tuesday (October 29) that some North Korean soldiers were in the Kursk region, a Russian border area where Ukrainian forces staged a major incursion in August and hold hundreds of square kilometres of territory.
    At least 11,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and more than 3,000 of them have been moved close to frontlines, a South Korean presidential official told reporters on Wednesday (October 30) on condition of anonymity.
    As concerns mount over what Russia might be providing Pyongyang in return, South Korea said on Wednesday that it might send a team of military monitors to Ukraine to observe and analyse the frontlines of the conflict.
    Speaking in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, Chief of Global Strategy Division at the Korea Institute of Defense Analyses, Doo Jin-ho, said North Korea's involvement in Ukraine could pave the way for Moscow to potentially intervene militarily in the Korean Peninsula.
    WHY IS SOUTH KOREA CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT OF NORTH KOREA TROOPS?
    “The fact that North Korea has voluntarily dispatched their troops to Russia could mean that if there’s an emergency that happens in the Korean peninsula, the Russia military could intervene (to help North Korea), and it could be threat to South Korea. South Korea has had a special relationship with Russia and has developed bilateral ties with Russia through various diplomatic exchanges and cooperation as an allied nation. However, Russia is becoming a threat, not just as neighbouring country but as a real threat to South Korea.
    If North Korean troops participate in special military operation through dispatch to Russia, they will learn various combat technologies and weapon systems which would be necessary for modern war, and from that, they (North Korea and Russia) would develop new military strategies along with new military exchanges.”
    WHAT OPTIONS DOES SOUTH KOREA HAVE?
    “(South Korea) could raise awareness as well as shape and arouse public opinion in the international community, that the cooperation between Russia and North Korea is illegal, especially concerning North Korea’s participation in the special military operation in Russia. (South Korea) needs to observe the extent of the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and consider sending lethal weapons accordingly.”
    IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SOUTH KOREA TO CONSIDER SUPPLYING WEAPONS TO UKRAINE?
    “Due to domestic laws, South Korea has been restricted (in sending lethal weapons). But now, everything has changed after North Korea dispatched its troops (to Russia). So, if (the South Korean government) will consider the possibility of supporting (Ukraine by sending) lethal weapons (to Ukraine), the first obstacle would be (changing) the domestic law. So, I would say that it would be difficult to amend the law to send weapons (to Ukraine), since the law restricts exporting strategic materials to conflict zones.
    The support and assistance (to Ukraine) has decreased, but if South Korea provides armed and military support to Ukraine, that would help the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) alliance and their allies create support (for Ukraine) too. From the perspective of Ukraine, it (South Korea sending weapons to Ukraine) would serve as an opportunity for it to enhance its capacity to fight the war.”
    (Production: Daewoung Kim, Jisoo Kim, Minwoo Park)
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