**Minister Kim’s Remarks in a Press Conference at the U.S. Department of Defense**
After the 56th South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held in Washington, D.C., South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun addressed sending observers and analysts to Ukraine as “a natural duty of the military.” Minister Kim, speaking alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a joint press conference, emphasized that not doing so would be neglect of duty. He referenced past practices of dispatching observation and analysis teams during various wars, including the Iraq War, and stressed the importance of analyzing North Korean military movements in Ukraine for future strategic information.
**Response to North Korean Provocations**
Minister Kim noted that North Korea’s provocations using waste and trash balloons have breached the red line set by the South Korean government and disclosed that countermeasures are being prepared. Minister Kim and Secretary Austin agreed that these actions are clear violations of the armistice agreement and pose a threat to the safety of South Korean citizens. The minister articulated plans to track and neutralize such threats at the landing sites of the balloons, signaling a shift from current response strategies.
**Concerns Over North Korean Military Involvement**
Minister Kim called on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to withdraw the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia, condemning it as an inhumane and war crime act. He expressed concerns that this deployment could lead to Russia providing advanced military technology to North Korea, heightening security threats on the Korean Peninsula.
**Potential Acquisition of Advanced Military Technologies**
Minister Kim speculated that North Korea might seek advanced military technologies from Russia in exchange for troop deployment, potentially including tactical nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), reconnaissance satellites, and nuclear-powered submarines.
**North Korean Forces Moving Within Russia**
Secretary Austin mentioned that of the approximately 10,000 North Korean troops sent to Russia for training, some have moved to the Kursk region, close to Ukraine. He expressed concern about the potential deployment of these troops in combat scenarios.
**North Korean Military Equipment and Implications**
The U.S. has reported that North Korean forces have been provided with Russian military equipment and uniforms. Despite this, Secretary Austin dismissed the effectiveness of North Korea’s support in leading to a Russian victory in Ukraine, underlining the importance of U.S. alliances in the region.
**The Role of Global Military Responses**
Austin acknowledged the potential for North Korea’s military involvement to prompt other nations to consider supporting Ukraine and indicated that such developments would only reinforce the significance of international alliances with South Korea. He affirmed Ukraine’s right to use U.S. and other international arms for self-defense should North Korean forces engage in combat with Russian troops in Ukraine. Austin predicted that North Korean troops could suffer casualties if they joined Russia in fighting against Ukrainian forces, and highlighted President Putin’s reluctance to reveal troop losses from mandatory drafts to the Russian public. He emphasized that North Korean troop deployment is not definite and urged for a cessation of conflicts led by Putin.