South Korea mulls arms for Ukraine as North accused of sending troops

South Korea warns it could reopen discussions regarding proviso of arms to Ukraine should Pyongyang and Moscow proceed gathering subject ties.

South Korea has pledged it volition instrumentality measures to antagonistic subject practice betwixt Russia and North Korea contempt denials from Pyongyang that it has sent troops to enactment Moscow’s warfare connected Ukraine.

Officials successful Seoul said connected Tuesday that the confederation betwixt Russia and North Korea represents an planetary menace and pledged that South Korea volition enactment with its allies to instrumentality countermeasures, perchance including the proviso of arms to Ukraine.

South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador connected Monday aft it accused the North of sending 1,500 soldiers to fight alongside Moscow’s forces successful Ukraine. North Korea has dismissed Seoul’s assertion arsenic “groundless rumours”, but Seoul connected Tuesday swatted that aside, promising action.

“Sending troops to Russia’s amerciable warfare of aggression successful Ukraine is simply a important information menace not lone to our state but besides to the planetary community,” the National Security Council said.

“Following the deployment of North Korean combat troops, the authorities volition instrumentality phased countermeasures,” it added.

A elder authoritative successful President Yoon Suk-yeol’s bureau said diplomatic, economical and subject measures are being prepared, adding that South Korea could revisit its earlier determination not to nonstop arms to Kyiv.

Seoul has been nether unit from immoderate Western countries and Kyiv to supply Ukraine with lethal weapons but has truthful acold focused connected nonlethal aid, including demining equipment.

“We would see supplying weapons for antiaircraft purposes arsenic portion of the step-by-step scenarios, and if it seems they are going excessively far, we mightiness besides see violative use,” the authoritative told reporters.

North Korea successful caller months has denied accusations from the South arsenic good arsenic the United States that it has been supplying weapons to Russia’s forces.

Late connected Monday, it slammed the assertion from South Korea’s spy bureau that it has present sent peculiar forces unit to Russia’s Far East for grooming successful mentation for deployment successful Ukraine.

“As for the alleged subject practice with Russia, my delegation does not consciousness immoderate request for remark connected specified groundless, stereotyped rumours,” a North Korean typical said astatine a committee gathering during the UN General Assembly.

Seoul’s accusations, the authoritative said, are “aimed astatine smearing the representation of [North Korea] and undermining the legitimate, affable and cooperative relations betwixt 2 sovereign states”.

Russia has not confirmed Pyongyang’s unit deployment but defended its subject practice with the North, saying connected Monday that it “is not directed against the interests of South Korea’s security”.

Pyongyang and Moscow person been allies since North Korea’s founding, and Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022 has drawn them closer.