Josep Borrell Visits South Korea Amid Questions About North Korean Troops Serving Russia

Following recent accounts of North Korean troops supporting Russia in its fight against Ukraine, European Union foreign policy leader Josep Borrell is in South Korea strengthening security and defense ties with Seoul. Arriving during a trip to Japan, Borrell toured the tightly guarded Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea, stressing the importance of fresh initiatives for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Borrell's trip consists in high-level talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul as Washington and Seoul show increasing concern about Pyongyang's military backing to Russia. Borrell expressed EU worries over North Korean troops allegedly stationed in Russia's Kursk area, maybe ready for combat operations, during his meetings with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. Aiming to progress security cooperation among regional tensions, this first-ever Strategic Dialogue conference between the EU and South Korea

South Korea remains wary about directly sending weaponry and has so far sent non-lethal assistance to Ukraine including mine removal tools. Foreign Minister Cho recently said, nevertheless, that Seoul is evaluating all possibilities and might change its position should North Korea's backing of Russia keep growing. Seoul is also worried that Pyongyang would get advanced technology from Moscow as pay-back, which would increase North Korea's capacity for satellite and missile development. Moscow is a source of advanced technologies.

The United States has fiercely objected to North Korean soldiers being sent to Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned this week of possible North Korean involvement in active warfare. Furthermore underlined in Moscow by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is Pyongyang's intention to assist Russia until it attains "victory" in Ukraine.