SEOUL: Defence ministers of South Korea and Canada condemned North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and discussed ways to enhance defence cooperation between their countries during a bilateral meeting in Ottawa, Seoul's defence ministry said on Saturday.
Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and his Canadian counterpart, Bill Blair, held the talks Friday (Canadian time) on the sidelines of the first "two plus two" meeting involving foreign and defence ministers of the two countries, Yonhap news agency reported.
During the bilateral meeting, Kim and Blair strongly denounced the troop dispatch as a violation of UN resolutions and an "illegal act" that is threatening peace on the peninsula and the rest of the world. They pledged to work closely with the global community in response.
The meeting comes amid rising international concerns over Pyongyang's expanding military alliance with Moscow. The United States said on Thursday there were 10, 000 North Korean troops in Russia, with 8, 000 of them deployed to the country's western front-line Kursk region to enter the fight against Ukraine in the coming days.
Kim also expressed his appreciation for Canada's contribution to maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula and in the broader region through its active enforcement of sanctions against North Korea and support for the United Nations Command. He emphasized the importance of continued cooperation between the two nations to further enhance regional and global security.
The two ministers agreed to enhance interoperability and strategic solidarity between South Korea and Canada by closely cooperating in various areas, including expanding participation in joint exercises, strengthening solidarity among UNC member states, and collaborating with like-minded countries.
They also agreed to seek more chances for expanding cooperation in the fields of defence industry and defence science and technology, with an aim to create a mutually beneficial partnership model for both countries, according to the ministry.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul also had a separate meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Melanie Joly, the same day on the sidelines of the "two plus two" talks to discuss regional issues, including North Korea's troop dispatch, and ways to enhance practical cooperation between their countries.
According to the foreign ministry, Cho assessed during the bilateral meeting in Ottawa that the inaugural "two plus two" meeting laid the foundation for institutionalising the security and defence partnership between the two countries.
He expressed hope for deepening cooperation in the defence industry sector in the future, including Canada's ongoing next-generation submarine acquisition project.
In response, Joly acknowledged the excellence of South Korea's defence industry and suggested continuing discussions on industrial cooperation as part of the comprehensive security partnership between the two countries, according to the foreign ministry.
Cho emphasised North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch are serious violations of UN Security Council resolutions and a grave threat to global peace and security.
The Canadian minister responded by strongly condemning the North's expanding military cooperation with Russia, including the troop deployment, and its latest ICBM test.