The discussions between the two leaders focused on the implications of North Korea's involvement in Russia's military actions, particularly the recent deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.
Last week, South Korean intelligence reported that North Korea sent around 1,500 soldiers to Russia’s Far East between October 8 and 13.
This week, an additional 1,500 troops were reportedly sent.
John Kirby, the spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, confirmed these reports, adding that North Korean soldiers could soon be fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
Both NATO and the United States have warned that this involvement could escalate the conflict.
At a joint press conference, the South Korean president said: "We have firmly condemned North Korea for its nuclear and missile development, its provocations, and its illegal military cooperation with Russia."
He added that the deployment of North Korean forces to Russia poses a threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to global security.
When asked whether South Korea would respond by sending military aid to Ukraine, Yoon said that, while his country has thus far focused on humanitarian support, the situation is evolving due to North Korea’s close ties with Russia.
"It is almost certain that they are sending special units to Russia," he warned.
"If those units are deployed in Ukraine, we will have to react based on their actions," he stated.
Duda echoed these concerns, saying that Poland, while maintaining neutrality, will do everything it can to support peace in the region.
He also shared with Yoon the latest intelligence on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the role North Korea is playing in the conflict.
The leaders also discussed broader bilateral cooperation, including economic and military ties.
Yoon expressed optimism that a second contract for the sale of South Korean K2 tanks to Poland would be signed by the end of the year.
Poland received 180 K2 tanks from South Korea under a 2022 agreement, and negotiations are ongoing for an additional 180, some of which would be adapted to Polish specifications.
Duda raised concerns about trade imbalances between the two countries and expressed hope for increased Polish exports to South Korea, particularly in defense and agriculture.
He also emphasized the importance of opening the South Korean market to Polish food products.
On the subject of nuclear energy, Yoon was asked about the status of a proposed Polish-South Korean collaboration on a nuclear power plant.
He indicated that while research and development cooperation is ongoing, concrete plans will depend on Poland’s final proposal.
Duda stressed that the project is commercial, meaning it falls outside the direct control of the Polish or South Korean governments.
A South Korean company, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), along with Polish firms PGE and ZE PAK, had planned to build two reactors in Pątnów, but the project stalled following a change in government in Poland.
The proposed plant would be Poland's second nuclear facility after one planned on the Baltic coast.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP