US President-elect Donald Trump has called his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk-yeol, where they discussed, among other topics, the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to support its war efforts against Ukraine.

Source : Yonhap News Agency with reference to Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo, as reported by European Pravda

Details : Kim Tae-hyo said Yoon congratulated Trump on his "landslide victory" in the presidential elections. During the call, they discussed bilateral "security, the economy and global issues". 

Yoon and Trump addressed "North Korea's situation, including recent nuclear developments, missile launches and troop deployment to Russia". Both leaders "expressed their concerns on these security issues and on the urgency of the situation in Ukraine".

Trump emphasised US interest in cooperating with South Korea in the shipbuilding industry, specifically in marine ship construction, export, repair and maintenance. 

The South Korean leader’s office also noted that they agreed on an in-person meeting in the near future. 

Quote from Kim Tae-hyo : "They agreed that an in-person meeting would be essential to discuss these matters further and will coordinate soon on a date and location."

Background : 

• The foreign ministers of the G7 countries, along with those from three key allied nations, expressed their serious concern on Tuesday, 5 November, regarding the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia. They are currently collaborating on a coordinated response to address this situation.
• Defence Intelligence of the United Kingdom indicated that North Korean troops involved in fighting against Ukraine would encounter interoperability issues with Russian forces and their equipment.
• Sources in Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) confirmed that the first clash between Ukrainian forces and North Korean troops took place in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

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