Pynonyang: North Korea announced Friday that sending troops to Russia to support its involvement in Ukraine would not breach international law, although it stopped short of confirming any deployment. The statement followed heightened international scrutiny over alleged troop movements.
According to North Korea’s KCNA news agency, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong Gyu indicated that such an action would “align” with international legal standards. He emphasized his lack of direct involvement with defense matters but stated, “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.”
This development follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comments on Thursday, where he responded with a cryptic remark when questioned about satellite imagery purportedly showing North Korean troops arriving in Russia. “Images are a serious thing,” Putin said, adding, “If there are images, then they reflect something.”
The United States previously asserted that it had intelligence suggesting North Korean soldiers had been deployed to Russia for the Ukraine conflict.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky added Friday that North Korean troops might enter combat zones as early as October 27. “According to intelligence reports, on October 27-28, the first North Korean military will be used by Russia in combat zones,” Zelensky shared on Telegram. He further urged Western allies to increase pressure on Moscow to deter the use of North Korean forces, calling the alleged move “a clear escalation by Russia” on X.
