Europe Seeks to Strengthen Defense Cooperation with South Korea

Amid growing concerns in Seoul about the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia for the war in Ukraine, the European Union is working to enhance security and defense cooperation with South Korea. Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, arrived in South Korea on Sunday, November 4, after a trip to Japan, and met with his South Korean counterpart, Choi Tae-youl. He also visited the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas and later wrote on social media: 'My visit today to the 'demilitarized zone' between the two Koreas is another reminder of the need for greater investment in peace.' On Monday, he met with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and expressed concern about the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. This comes as Washington and Seoul have raised alarms about this troop deployment. South Korea is worried that North Korea may receive military and civilian technologies from Moscow in exchange for sending its troops to Ukraine, which would aid its efforts to enhance missile capabilities and launch a spy satellite. Last week, North Korea showcased its military power by testing a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, and Choe Son-hui, North Korea's foreign minister, stated during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the country would support Moscow until victory in the war with Ukraine. So far, South Korea has only sent non-lethal aid, such as mine-clearing equipment, to Ukraine, but Choi Tae-youl indicated last week that all possible scenarios are being considered regarding whether South Korea might send weapons to Ukraine in response to North Korea's assistance to Moscow. Meanwhile, on Monday, November 14, Annalena Baerbock, Germany's foreign minister, during a visit to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders, pledged to support Ukraine amid airstrikes and North Korean military support for Russia as winter approaches. She stated, 'We are combating this brutality with our humanity and support so that not only Ukrainians survive the winter but also their country remains intact, as they are defending the freedom of all of us in Europe.' On Monday, the Ukrainian army announced that it had shot down 50 out of 80 Russian drones in nighttime attacks on Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Zhytomyr. Ukrainian officials reported a fire in Kyiv and at least 13 injuries from these attacks. The Russian Ministry of Defense also announced that it had shot down a Ukrainian drone in the Belgorod region on the border between Russia and Ukraine. The relations between Moscow and Pyongyang and the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers to Russia for the war with Ukraine, the testing of North Korea's strongest intercontinental ballistic missile, and global reactions to it. Blinken: China should prevent North Korea from joining Russia in the war with Ukraine. North Korea states it will support Moscow until Russia's victory over Ukraine. The U.S. reports that about 8,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed at the Russia-Ukraine border. The U.S. condemned North Korea's missile test. The U.S. and South Korea called for the withdrawal of North Korean forces from Russia. The Pentagon stated that 'a few' North Korean military personnel have been stationed in the Kursk region of Russia. The U.S. Department of Defense reported that North Korea has sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia.