Zelensky warns North Korea that Russian alliance could spell trouble for Asia: China’s ‘silence is striking’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is sounding the alarm that the recent deployment of North Korean troops in Russia not only spells trouble for Ukraine, but also calls into question the stability and security of countries in Asia that are allies of the West.

“North Korea’s actions are not arbitrary,” Zelenskyy said in a candid interview with South Korean public broadcaster KBS on Thursday. “They have strategic goals.”

“Their actions are not accidental – they want Russia’s support in return,” he added in comments also posted on his social media account on X.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, meets with soldiers who participated in training in North Korea on March 13. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

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Zelenskyy’s warning coincided with an announcement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who held a joint press conference with their South Korean counterparts on Thursday to confirm that about 10,000 North Korean soldiers training have been deployed to Russia – 80 percent of which are already in Kursk and expected to begin combat operations against Ukraine in the region within the “coming days.”

Zelenskiy, who described the threat now posed by North Korea as “a war of two countries against one,” reiterated the immediate threat outlined by U.S. officials and urged South Korea to play a bigger role in countering Russia’s nearly thousand-day war against Ukraine.

“Whether these forces are in Kursk or in our occupied territories, they are preparing to fight Ukrainian soldiers. The world must recognize the seriousness of this alliance,” he said. “South Korea has approached this war with caution.

“But this is not just our war,” Zelensky continued. “Russia has brought in North Korea, and they won’t stop there. Iran, or even others, could be next.”

Zelenskyy said South Korea has already promised to send a team of specialists to Ukraine, where they will cooperate on defensive capabilities, including air defense, as North Korea also supplies the Russians with artillery and missiles.

A TV screen shows file footage of North Korean soldiers during a news program at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, on October 18. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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“If South Korea wants to understand the real capabilities of North Korea and its soldiers, it would benefit them to be here and see and analyze the reality firsthand,” he said. “Think of how close North Korea is to Seoul – just 40 to 50 km (25 to 30 miles), the range of modern artillery, not even missiles.”

“Air defense cannot stop artillery attacks. Our own cities have been destroyed by artillery. I hope South Korea never experiences this, but preparation is crucial,” Zelenskyy added.

The Ukrainian president further suggested that it was time for allies in the East to form an “Asian Security Alliance” and called on countries such as South Korea and Japan to take the lead.

“And reaching out to China could be essential in countering North Korea’s aggression as North Korea is actively engaging that region in war,” he said, questioning China’s position now that the threat of a regional conflict is increasing.

“I am surprised by China’s silence,” Zelenskyy added. “I can’t say China is on our side, but as a regional security guarantor its silence is striking.”

The Ukrainian president emphasized how the unification of Russia and North Korea has direct consequences not only for Ukraine, but also for partners in the East and allies in the West.

A TV screen shows file footage of North Korean soldiers during a news program at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, on October 18. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

“(Russian President Vladimir Putin is) testing the West, NATO and even South Korea and observing their response to North Korean forces joining his campaign,” Zelenskyy said. “If the response is weak, we can expect the number of foreign soldiers on our soil to increase.”

The US on Friday announced another $425 million defense package for Ukraine from the Presidential Drawdown Authority.

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The package includes air defense interceptors, ammunition for missile systems and artillery, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons to help meet “Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs.”

Notably, the package did not include intermediate-range Tomahawk missiles, which Zelenskyy requested and was rejected, according to a leaked report to The New York Times this week.

Zelensky on Wednesday reportedly expressed frustration not over the U.S. refusal to provide Ukraine with advanced weapons that can fly up to 1,500 miles, but over the fact that the request was leaked by an anonymous senior U.S. official.