North Korean Foreign Minister Visits Russia Amid Military Concerns

According to a report from state media KCNA, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui is on an official visit to Russia. The delegation led by Choe departed from Pyongyang for Russia on Monday, but no further details regarding the visit have been disclosed.

This visit coincides with rising concerns about cooperation between the two countries related to the conflict in Ukraine. NATO, Seoul, the United States, and Kyiv have confirmed the deployment of North Korean military units to Russia's Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border.

The Pentagon recently updated its figures, stating that North Korea has sent approximately 10,000 troops to eastern Russia for training. This represents a significant increase from the previously estimated figure of 3,000 soldiers noted last Wednesday. Despite this development, the U.S. has indicated that it will impose no new restrictions on Ukraine's use of American weapons, even if North Korean forces participate in the conflict.

U.S. President Joe Biden described the situation as "very dangerous." NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed his concerns about the increasing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang following meetings with a South Korean delegation on Monday, highlighting potential threats to security in both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol suggested in a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the deployment of North Korean soldiers to frontline positions in Ukraine could happen sooner than expected.