(LEAD) Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. discuss N. Korea's troop deployment to Russia

▲ Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (L) speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their bilateral talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on March 18, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) S Korea-US-FM talks

(LEAD) Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. discuss N. Korea's troop deployment to Russia

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 9-10, 14-15)

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States have agreed to closely work together to respond to North Korean troops' possible participation in Russia's war in Ukraine and their additional deployment, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the issue at their bilateral talks in Washington on Thursday (local time), following their "two plus two" meeting also involving the two countries' defense chiefs, the ministry said in a release.

"They shared concerns over the deepening ties between Russia and North Korea, including Pyongyang's deployment of troops to the Kursk Oblast in Russia," it said.

"They agreed to coordinate closely and share related information on any indications of North Korean troops actually participating in combat and additional deployment," the ministry said.

After the two plus two meeting, Blinken said the U.S. believes as many as 8,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia's western front-line Kursk region and they are expected to enter into combat in the coming days.

Blinken also said they assess that about 10,000 North Korean troops are in Russia, and those believed to be already in the front lines would become "legitimate" military targets if they are deployed into combat against Ukrainian forces.

On the bilateral alliance, Cho asked for Blinken's support in ensuring that the key achievements Seoul and Washington have made under the Joe Biden administration are "handed over smoothly" to the next U.S. administration.

Blinken reaffirmed the firm bipartisan support for the alliance and his commitment to doing his part to further strengthen the bilateral ties, according to the Seoul ministry.

In the talks with Blinken, Cho emphasized South Korea's commitment to playing a greater role in ensuring global peace and prosperity, and the need to "expand and modernize" the Group of Seven (G7) framework of advanced countries.

The two sides also agreed to continue efforts to hold a trilateral summit with Japan before the end of this year.

In a separate readout, the U.S. State Department said the two sides discussed efforts to further bolster bilateral cooperation on the full range of global and regional issues.

"The two officials acknowledged a shared commitment to deepening the U.S.-ROK Alliance, which continues to be the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity for the Indo-Pacific region and beyond," it said.

ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.

While in Washington, Cho also met with Philip Gordon, assistant to the president and national security adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris, and had broad discussions on the bilateral alliance, trilateral cooperation with Japan and the Korean Peninsula issues, Cho's office said.

Cho shared with Gordon concerns over the "grave situations" that have been exacerbated with the North's troop deployment, and agreed to respond firmly with the international community by closely monitoring the development of the Moscow-Pyongyang military cooperation.

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