S. Korea voices concerns over N. Korea’s reported plan to send military construction workers to Russia

South Korea voiced concerns Wednesday following reports that North Korea is planning to send thousands of military construction workers to Russia in support of its war in Ukraine.

Russian media reports said Tuesday that the North will send 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Russia’s Kursk region, in another possible sign of their deepening military alignment.

“It’s an issue of concern. We do not support (the North’s troop deployment),” a presidential official told reporters when asked about the reported deployment plan in Calgary, Canada, where President Lee Jae Myung was attending the Group of Seven summit.

The foreign ministry in Seoul also voiced deep concern, urging Pyongyang to stop such actions immediately.

“We express deep concern over the continuing illegal cooperation between North Korea and Russia,” a ministry official said. “We urge the North to stop such actions immediately.”

“The accepting and hiring of North Korean workers abroad is a clear violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Cooperation between North Korea and Russia must fully comply with UNSC resolutions and international law, and should not pose a threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula or around the world,” the official added.

The announcement came as Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu visited the North Korean capital on a special mission from Russian President Vladimir Putin and held talks with Kim earlier in the day, as the two countries prepare to mark the first anniversary of their mutual defense treaty.