LONDON

G7 countries, the EU as well as Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand on Tuesday expressed "grave concern" over the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia and condemned the increasing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

In a joint statement, foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the UK, the US, and the high representative of the EU, expressed "grave concern" over the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia, "potentially for the use on the battlefield against Ukraine."

"North Korea's direct support for Russia’s war on Ukraine would mark a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific peace and security," said the statement, recalling that several thousands of North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia.

The foreign ministers said it would be a "further breach" of international law, including the most fundamental principles of the UN Charter.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and Russia, including the DPRK’s export and Russia’s unlawful procurement of DPRK ballistic missiles in breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), as well as Russia’s use of these missiles and munitions against Ukraine."

It further noted that they are also "deeply concerned" about the potential for any transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile-related technology from Russia to the DPRK in violation of the relevant UNSCRs.

Calling on North Korea to stop providing assistance to Russia’s war, the foreign ministers reaffirmed an "unwavering commitment" to support Ukraine.

Earlier, South Korea and Ukraine said that some 10,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also confirmed that North Korean troops were already in the Kursk region in a "dangerous expansion" of the conflict.