From left, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin participate in a joint press conference at the State Department in Washington, Thursday (local time), following a 2+2 meeting. AFP-Yonhap
South Korea and the United States vowed to cooperate in addressing the challenges posed by growing North Korea-Russia military cooperation, anticipating that North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk Region may soon engage in combat against Ukraine in the coming days.
The commitment came during a "two-plus-two" meeting in Washington, Thursday (local time), where top foreign and defense officials from both nations discussed regional security threats.
The meeting took place a day after Pyongyang test-fired what it claimed to be the latest version of its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is believed to have achieved the longest-ever flight for a North Korean missile.
Attending the meeting were South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and their U.S. counterparts, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. It was the sixth such gathering since the previous session was held in Seoul in 2021.
In a joint statement, the officials condemned the deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia, including the illegal arms transfers and the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.
"They made clear that this military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK constitutes not only a violation of multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions but also prolongs the suffering of the Ukrainian people and threatens stability in both the Indo-Pacific and Europe," the statement read, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, along with his daughter Ju-ae, oversee a test launch of what the regime claimed to be the latest version of its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Thursday, in this photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. Yonhap
The two nations vowed to respond to the North Korea-Russia security cooperation by closely monitoring developments and further exposing Moscow's support for Pyongyang. South Korean officials have expressed concerns that Moscow may provide Pyongyang with advanced military technology in exchange for troops and munitions to support Russia's war with Ukraine.
At a press conference following the meeting, Austin stated that Russia has been training North Korean soldiers in artillery, drones and infantry operations, suggesting that Moscow plans to deploy these forces in frontline roles in the coming days.
However, he noted that there were no indications Moscow had assisted Pyongyang with the latest ICBM launch, which set a record 86-minute flight before falling into the East Sea, according to South Korea's analysis.
"In our assessment phase, and we don't see any indication at this point that there was Russian involvement," Austin said.
This photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Friday shows the launch of what the regime claimed to be the Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day. Yonhap
The previous day, North Korea launched what it claims was the Hwasong-19, described as the "ultimate version" of its ICBMs.
Kim Jong-un, who supervised the launch, expressed satisfaction and reaffirmed that North Korea would continue strengthening its nuclear arsenal, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Friday.
"The security situation of our state and ever-aggravating prospective threats and challenges require us to continue to bolster up our modern strategic attack forces and more perfectly round off our nuclear forces' response posture," Kim was quoted as saying.
North Korea asserted that the missile launch was in response to the "frantic arms buildup" by "U.S. imperialists and the ROK puppet forces."
ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.
The ICBM launch came as South Korean authorities are deliberating on how to respond to the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia. According to the U.S. authorities, around 8,000 North Korean troops are expected to be dispatched to the front lines in the coming days.
Officials in Seoul are concerned that combat experience gained on the battlefield could significantly boost the North's military readiness.
"Depending on the developments in military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, relevant measures, corresponding measures, will be taken accordingly. We need to see the level of involvement of the DPRK forces in Russia, and we also need to watch what kind of quid pro quo the DPRK will be receiving from Russia," South Korea's foreign minister said during the press briefing in Washington, in response to a query about whether Seoul plans to provide lethal aid to Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talks with Ukrainian journalists in Kyiv, Oct. 21 (local time). AP-Yonhap
The Ukrainian government is preparing to send a special envoy to Seoul in the coming days, while a team of South Korean observers is set to visit Ukraine to monitor the North Korean troop activities in the war.
Much attention is paid as to whether these developments would prompt South Korea to shift its current stance of providing only humanitarian and financial aid to the war-torn nation.
In an interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS that aired on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a special envoy would formally request weapons from South Korea, emphasizing the urgent need for air defense systems to counter Russian attacks.
Regarding Zelenskyy's comments, a defense ministry official told The Korea Times, Friday, that "the government's stance on Ukraine support remains unchanged. We will make corresponding response depending on how the situation develops."