"The first battles with North Korean soldiers open a new page of instability in the world," he said during his nightly video address, calling on the international community to act decisively to prevent Russia's attempts to escalate its war in Ukraine.
On the same day, the country's defense minister made similar remarks during an interview with a Korean terrestrial broadcaster. Rustem Umerov told KBS there was a "small engagement" with North Korean soldiers. "After a couple of weeks, we would see a more significant number [of clashes]," he added.
The New York Times also reported "a significant number of North Korean troops were killed" during limited engagements with the Ukraine forces, citing a U.S. official.
But Umerov clarified that this does not mean an all-out war with North Korean soldiers, explaining that it will take time to assess the number of casualties and captured prisoners, as they are reportedly disguising themselves as Buryats, a Mongolic ethnic group in Siberia.
Meanwhile, Moscow warned Seoul against sending weapons to Ukraine. "We regret that our old friends and partners in Seoul are rapidly losing their independence under Washington's pressure to the detriment of its own national interests," said Russian Deputy Ambassador Anna Yevstigneyeva at a UN Security Council meeting. "We call on our South Korean colleague to think twice and not to embark on this extremely dangerous path, which will lead Seoul to nothing good."
South Korea's support for Kyiv has been limited to humanitarian aid, but it is considering gradually expanding assistance to include lethal weapons and other supplies.
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