S. Korea Raises Alarm Over Russia-N. Korea Military Collaboration

(MENAFN) South Korea has voiced "serious concerns" over deepening military collaboration between Russia and North Korea, pressing Moscow to cease such ties during high-level talks held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Saturday.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun confronted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during a bilateral meeting Friday, outlining Seoul’s approach to easing tensions and fostering lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to a ministry statement cited by media.

Cho reportedly emphasized that Moscow should discontinue its military cooperation with Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry released a separate statement characterizing U.S.-led military actions in the region as "provocative," including those by its allies in Asia. Lavrov condemned the Western bloc's continued sanctions and pressure campaign against North Korea.

“Special emphasis was placed on the inevitable return to a mutually respectful dialogue based on the current realities on the peninsula in the interest of building a reliable mechanism for long-term peace and stability in Northeast Asia,” the Russian ministry said.

Tensions have escalated further amid allegations from South Korean intelligence that North Korea has dispatched roughly 15,000 troops and weaponry to assist Russia’s war in Ukraine since October 2024. Seoul also claims that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have died in the conflict.

Military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang were formalized last year through a sweeping strategic partnership agreement, signed in Pyongyang, which obligates both nations to provide military support if either is attacked by a third party.

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