South Korea’s Yoon, Poland’s Duda Condemn North Korean Troop Deployment to Russia

SEOUL — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Polish President Andrzej Duda have condemned North Korea’s reported dispatch of 3,000 troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, calling it a global security threat. The two leaders issued the joint condemnation following a summit in Seoul, where they also discussed strengthening defense ties between their nations.

“We agreed that North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia is a direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter and is a provocation that goes beyond the Korean Peninsula and Europe to threaten global security,” President Yoon said during a joint news conference with Duda.

The summit came amid reports from South Korean lawmakers, who, after being briefed by the country’s national intelligence agency, stated that North Korea had sent 3,000 troops to Russia—twice the previous estimate.

In addition to security concerns, the two leaders focused on finalizing a new defense contract by the end of the year, which would see South Korean defense firm Hyundai Rotem supply K-2 tanks to Poland. This would be part of a broader defense collaboration as Poland ramps up its military capabilities in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Yoon and Duda announced plans to establish a new forum for defense dialogue to enhance security cooperation between their nations.

South Korea, which has rapidly emerged as a significant arms exporter, signed a US$22 billion framework agreement in 2022 to provide Poland with howitzers, tanks, and fighter jets as Warsaw significantly increases its military spending in response to the conflict in Ukraine.