**Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister, Holds Phone Call**
**CNN “North Korean Troops Already Infiltrated Ukraine”**
On the 30th, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated, “The deployment of North Korean troops to the Ukrainian front could occur at a faster pace than expected.” According to the presidential office, President Yoon held a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on this day, during which they exchanged views on North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia and other related issues.
President Yoon emphasized to Prime Minister Trudeau the importance of South Korea and Canada maintaining a strong and unified response together with the international community. He added that South Korea would send a government representative to support the reconstruction of Ukraine at the upcoming ‘Ukraine Peace Formula Ministerial Meeting’ in Canada.
Prime Minister Trudeau responded by expressing concerns about the potential escalation of the Ukraine war due to North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia. He suggested that this situation could impact security across Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, highlighting the need for close cooperation and coordination between South Korea and Canada.
The presidential office reported that Presidents Yoon and Prime Minister Trudeau also discussed security and defense industry cooperation between the two nations. President Yoon mentioned the significance of defense industry cooperation as part of boosting comprehensive security collaboration between the two countries. He expressed hopes that the inaugural ‘Diplomacy and Defense 2+2 Ministerial Meeting’, scheduled to be held in Ottawa on November 1st, would serve as a platform to institutionalize high-level security dialogue between South Korea and Canada.
Prime Minister Trudeau recognized the meeting as a representation of the growing depth and friendship between the two countries over the past two years and indicated its importance in contributing to global security and economic roles.
Previously, it was claimed that North Korean troops dispatched to support Russia in the Ukraine war had already infiltrated the Ukrainian border. CNN, citing two Western intelligence officials, reported on the 29th that “a small number of North Korean troops have already infiltrated Ukraine.” The officials believe that the number of infiltrating troops could increase once North Korean troops finish training in eastern Russia and move to the front line.
Earlier, the National Intelligence Service indicated the possibility that some North Korean forces, including high-ranking officers among those dispatched to Russia, might have moved to the front lines. The National Intelligence Service also acknowledged the possibility that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers were training in the contested region of Kursk but stated that it was not yet confirmed that any movement had taken place.
Furthermore, the National Intelligence Service projected that North Korea plans to dispatch a total of 10,900 troops to Russia by December this year.