South Korea confirms no troop deployment to Ukraine

South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun has confirmed that the country will not dispatch soldiers or officers to fight in Ukraine. 

At a press briefing held at the Korean Embassy in Washington, Minister Kim stated, "The decision has been made to send personnel for intelligence gathering in preparation for future scenarios, but we will not participate in combat operations," Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

"Let me be clear: there is absolutely no discussion regarding the deployment of combat troops to Ukraine," he stressed.

Minister Kim had previously expressed support for sending military analysts and observers to assess the operations of the Korean People's Army, should its personnel be deployed to the conflict zone in Ukraine.

In response to these plans, a lawmaker from a prominent opposition party noted that sending military analysts to Ukraine would require approval from the National Assembly.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova weighed in on the issue, criticising the alleged involvement of South Korean intelligence.

She remarked, "There is no need to align with the Kyiv regime or to indulge the anti-Russian sentiments of its Western backers. 

South Korea should consider the potential consequences for its own security that may arise from entering the Ukrainian conflict."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recently held a phone conversation regarding the reported deployment of North Korean troops in Russia amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy shared intelligence indicating that approximately 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been positioned near the front line.

The two leaders confirmed plans to exchange delegations soon to coordinate their actions further. Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for South Korea’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, along with its financial and humanitarian aid. 

Note that, the situation on the Korean Peninsula has intensified following reports of North Korea deploying nearly 3,000 troops to Russia, prompting South Korea to consider sending officials to Ukraine to monitor the situation. 

Neither North Korea nor Russia has responded to South Korea's claims, although the Kremlin maintains its right to strengthen ties with Pyongyang as a matter of national sovereignty.

By Aghakazim Guliyev