The foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the UK, the US, and the EU High Representative issued a joint statement on the participation of DPRK troops in the war on the side of Russia.
According to the website of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the countries expressed ‘serious concern over the deployment of DPRK troops in Russia, potentially intended for use on the battlefield against Ukraine’.
‘The DPRK's direct support for Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, in addition to demonstrating Russia's desperate efforts to compensate for its losses, would mark a dangerous expansion of the conflict with serious consequences for peace and security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. It would be a further violation of international law, including the fundamental principles of the UN Charter,’ the ministers said in a joint statement.
The G7 and allies also condemned the growing military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia. This includes missiles, ammunition, and the possibility of any transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile-related technology from Russia to the DPRK.
‘We call on the DPRK to stop assisting Russia's aggressive war. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine in its defence of its freedom, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. We are working with our international partners on a coordinated response to these new developments,’ the statement said.