North Korea’s foreign ministry said on Oct. 25 that any decision to send its troops to support Russia in the war in Ukraine would comply with international law, however, it did not confirm whether such a deployment had occurred.
Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong Gyu, in a statement shared by state news agency KCNA, remarked that if North Korea had taken such actions, they would align with international norms despite attempts by others to portray them as illegal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin refrained from denying the reports, which have circulated from sources in Ukraine, South Korea, the United States, and other nations. Kyiv stresses that any North Korean involvement in Russia's war could amount to a crime of aggression under international law.
Kim Jong Gyu noted that the foreign ministry does not oversee military matters, leaving such issues to the defense ministry and, therefore, refraining from specific comments on deployment. "If there is such a thing that the world media is talking about, I think it will be an act conforming with the regulations of international law," he added.
North Korea and Russia have strengthened ties since the war began, including signing a new mutual defense pact. Ukraine and Western governments have previously accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia—allegations both Pyongyang and Moscow have denied.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, referencing intelligence reports, said that Russia intends to deploy North Korean troops to the battlefield in the coming days. Ukrainian military intelligence reported on Oct. 24 that approximately 12,000 North Korean troops, including 500 officers and three generals, were already in Russia and undergoing training at five military bases.
The United States has also indicated seeing evidence of North Korean troops in Russia, while South Korean lawmakers estimate around 3,000 soldiers have already been sent, with more expected.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
