Rutte said, during a press conference before the start of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, “I cannot confirm the veracity of these reports, but they are clearly worrying,” commenting on a statement by South Korean Defense Minister Kim Jong-hyun earlier this month. , in which he said that Pyongyang may have sent forces to assist Russia in the military operation in Ukraine.
The South Korean Yonhap News Agency quoted the South Korean Defense Minister, in a speech before Parliament on October 8, as saying: “North Korea may send soldiers from its regular armed forces to Ukraine, to support Russia there.”
According to the agency, Kim Jong-hyun indicated that Russia and North Korea had signed “a bilateral treaty similar to a military alliance, so the possibility of sending such forces is very likely.”
Last Thursday, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov described reports that North Korea was sending its soldiers to participate in the special military operation as false.
“This looks like another falsification operation,” Peskov told reporters, in response to a question about whether North Korea was actually sending its army to the special military operation zone.
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed earlier that his country “did not request this from anyone, and in fact there is no need for it.”
The Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, following the talks, which took place with the participation of the leaders of the two countries. This occurred during an official visit by President Putin to Pyongyang, which lasted for two days.
Source: Novosti
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