South Korea has summoned the Russian ambassador, seeking the “immediate withdrawal” of North Korean troops which it says are being trained to fight in Ukraine.

About 1,500 North Korean soldiers, including those from the special forces, have already arrived in Russia, according to Seoul’s spy agency.

In a meeting with the ambassador Georgiy Zinoviev, South Korea’s vice-foreign minister Kim Hong-kyun denounced the move and warned that Seoul will “respond with all measures available”.

  • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
    581·
    24 days ago

    Seoul will “respond with all measures available”.

    Perhaps the law that forbids arms exports to warfighting countries could be re-examined? Wouldn’t even need to toss the whole thing, a new law could probably be passed to create an exception.

    I’m sure some of S Korea’s gigantic reserves of 155mm would make a very significant difference.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      13·
      22 days ago

      Or, a few battalions of those shiny K2 Black Panthers, which Poland signed a deal for an absolute shitload of a couple years back. This’d be outstanding battlefield testing for them, tbh.

      • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
        101·
        23 days ago

        I don’t think the US can force S Korea to support Israel outside of conspiracy theory puppet-countries land.

        • Squizzy@lemmy.worldEnglish
          56·
          22 days ago

          The US forced the prohibition of marijuana and the ousting of an Australian PM.

          It might be conspiracy but the US is currently arming a genocidal regime and aiding their land grab, so lets say they have form for both making pther countries do their bidding and supporting cunts in the name of democracy.

          • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
            26·
            22 days ago

            Source on the Australia stuff? That’s new to me.

            Arming genocidal regimes is nothing new, the Leahy Law was created in the first place because these things were problems. Ultimately though, without that influence over Netanyahu, the Palestinians would be worse off, not better.

            Netanyahu doesn’t need big bombs to starve a captive population, no matter how much people like to fantasize about Israel magically letting them all go as soon as arms are embargoed.

            • Squizzy@lemmy.worldEnglish
              45·
              22 days ago

              https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alleged_CIA_involvement_in_the_Whitlam_dismissal

              He threatens the US military for overstepping and operating in Australia so they have him removed.

              Now this next part I have several problems with so you may need to clarify.

              Are you saying Palestinians are better off because of Netanyahu? And before you answer I will point you to the death toll, their ever decreasing land and the multiple bombings of refuge camps, hospital and schools. Not to mention the use of palestinians as shields, the raping and the IDF gang like presence, the lock down hours and prevention of anything approaching a two state solution.

              He might not need big bombs, but that doesn’t mean you should defend the provision of such. Taking away a suicidal persons guns wont stop them killing themselves, but it removes an option and makes it a little more difficult.

              • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
                34·
                22 days ago

                Hm, that is interesting. Definitely does fit with American Cold War activities, so I’m inclined to believe it.

                No, the Palestinians are certainly not being helped in any way by Netanyahu. He and his right wing cronies want them all gone, I’m fairly sure. Despite that goal, however, most of the 2 million+ residents of Gaza remain alive. That would probably not be the case at this point, without western leverage being exerted on Netanyahu to restrain him.

                It would actually be easier for him to kill them all if he did not have to maintain alliances. Not harder. If he wants to remain safe vs Hezbollah and Iran, he must preserve most of the Gazan lives, even though he really doesn’t want to.

  • BombOmOm@lemmy.worldEnglish
    441·
    24 days ago

    SK has mostly kept from supplying Ukraine. Closest they have gotten is selling shells to the US to open up more US shells to go to Ukraine. I could see SK changing their stance about supplying Ukraine over this.

  • njm1314@lemmy.worldEnglish
    272·
    23 days ago

    I’ve been curious about this, since the United States and South Korea are both still at war with North Korea and the latter is sending troops into Ukraine, doesn’t that mean that it’s an active combat zone for both of us? Seems like all the pretext you would need to move troops into the area.

  • solsangraal@lemmy.zipEnglish
    173·
    23 days ago

    why does anyone in existence think that goose-stepping isn’t the dumbest goofiest looking bullshit anyone’s ever done? i say this in a world where dabbing and planking have been things

    • kerrigan778@lemmy.worldEnglish
      40·
      23 days ago

      Basically because Prussia developed it as a way of keeping soldiers in rigidly drilled formation advancing in lines towards defensive positions with muskets, because before rifles were common in military advancing in a tightly coordinated firing line in the face defensive musket fire was a devastatingly effective tactic but which required a lot of training and discipline. The Prussian army became famously successful while using it and it became very in style. As rifles became more common on the battlefield and defensive fire became more accurate it became obsolete as a tactic but it stuck as a ceremonial “impressive” looking thing. Now that everyone who remembers it being a real effective combat tactic is long dead and it’s just associated with Nazis and the Soviet Union… Well… It basically just summons images of authoritarian military parades and people who get hard for that kind of thing are still into it and everyone else thinks it’s stupid as hell.

      That said, formal marching is still very much a thing in most if not all militaries, and it does tend to focus on rigidity and body control and very purposeful movements. Marching without bending the knees is a semi easy way of simplifying it so that every soldier seems to be moving the same way, which is often the goal of the effect, otherwise you have to train the exact time and angle which people are bending their knees and correcting for people with different length legs.

  • Nougat@fedia.io
    141·
    24 days ago

    I would think that fewer DPRK soldiers on the Korean peninsula, and more or them defecting, captured, wounded, or killed in Ukraine would be good for South Korea.

    • Carmakazi@lemmy.worldEnglish
      39·
      23 days ago

      I think DPRK’s hope is that at least some soldiers and officers will return with some modern combat experience, something that their military organization is dreadfully lacking. It could end up being a bigger problem down the road for ROK even if they lose a few thousand bodies.

      • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
        32·
        23 days ago

        They can’t really take them back they’ve seen the outside world.

        • stephen01king@lemmy.zipEnglish
          2·
          22 days ago

          All they’re seeing is western Russia and war torn Ukraine. Not really an impressive view, is it?

          • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
            3·
            22 days ago

            If you’re from a starving country and have been told all your life that everywhere else is worse, a war zone without famine is bloody impressive.

    • basmati@lemmus.orgEnglish
      387·
      23 days ago

      South Korea prides themselves on threatening to destroy the relatively hostage North. The north can’t do anything without the South’s approval, or it gets wiped out.

      It’s not about practicality or safety, it’s purely about punishing the north for wanting freedom.