Seoul weighs boycotting Russia’s Victory Day amid North Korean troop development

Russian soldiers march to attend a dress rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade at the Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap

Although formally invited, South Korea is weighing whether to boycott Russia’s Victory Day military parade, as deepening military ties between Russia and North Korea are seen as crossing a red line and directly threatening South Korea’s security.

According to diplomatic sources, the South Korean Embassy in Moscow recently received a formal invitation to the parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II. Unlike in recent years, when countries labeled “unfriendly” were excluded for supporting sanctions, this year’s invitations were extended to all foreign missions due to the occasion’s symbolic significance.

While the South Korean Foreign Ministry said it is “comprehensively reviving all relevant factors,” government sources indicate that Seoul is leaning toward not participating.

A major concern is the diplomatic optics of attending the military parade, particularly as Moscow has formally acknowledged North Korea’s troop deployment to Ukraine — an action perceived as overstepping a critical boundary and posing a direct threat to South Korea’s security.

Estimates suggest Pyongyang has sent more than 15,000 troops to Russian-occupied territories — a deployment recently confirmed by both governments under the terms of a strategic partnership agreement.

Officials warn that North Korea’s participation in the war could pose a long-term threat to South Korean security by enhancing Pyongyang’s modern combat experience. The deployment has been labeled a breach of what Seoul views as a “red line” in regional stability.

Amid the controversy, Russia is positioning the parade as an event with multinational interest. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, leaders from 29 countries are expected to participate, with military units from 13 nations — including China, Vietnam and Myanmar — joining the procession.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Tuesday and is expected to attend the parade alongside President Vladimir Putin. Xi emphasized the deepening “comprehensive strategic partnership” between Beijing and Moscow, saying that both countries would continue to jointly oppose “hegemony and power politics.” Xi’s visit includes a bilateral summit, with discussions expected to cover the war in Ukraine, U.S.-Russia tensions and major energy cooperation projects such as the “Power of Siberia-2” gas pipeline.

Seoul is also observing whether key allies, including the United States, United Kingdom and Japan, will send representatives. The U.S. ambassador to Russia has yet to confirm her attendance. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has already called on European leaders to boycott the event.

South Korea has participated in previous milestone Victory Day events. Then-President Roh Moo-hyun attended the 60th anniversary ceremony in 2005, and a lawmaker was dispatched as a presidential envoy in 2015. But with North Korea now directly involved in the war and the regional security climate deteriorating, the circumstances have changed significantly.

Some within the South Korean government caution that even a low-level diplomatic presence could send the wrong message to the international community and undermine efforts to align with Western partners. Others note that the current acting presidential administration, headed by Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, may currently lack both the mandate and political bandwidth to engage in high-profile diplomatic symbolism.