Yoon, Ishiba express 'strong concern' over North Korean troops in Russia

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol third from left and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba second from right hold a summit in Lima on Nov 16 2024 Yonhap — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (third from left) and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (second from right) hold a summit in Lima on Nov. 16, 2024. Yonhap

SEOUL, November 17 (AJP) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed "strong concern" Saturday over North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia to aid its war against Ukraine, Seoul officials said.

The two leaders held their second bilateral meeting in Lima on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

"The leaders expressed strong concerns over military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia," Yoon's office said.

They also agreed to work closely to ensure the international community continues to send a unified message toward North Korea.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol left shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during their summit in Lima on Nov 16 2024 Yonhap — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (left) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during their summit in Lima on Nov. 16, 2024. Yonhap

During the 50-minute talks, the leaders committed to continuing shuttle diplomacy and further developing bilateral relations as the two countries will mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization next year.

On Friday, Yoon, Ishiba and U.S. President Joe Biden held a trilateral summit and condemned military cooperation between North Korea and Russia “to dangerously expand Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.”

They reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and agreed to establish a secretariat for trilateral cooperation.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

Yoon, Ishiba express 'strong concern' over North Korean troops in Russia

Related