Polish envoy voices 'great concerns' over N. Korea's involvement in war against Ukraine

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, right, holds a meeting with Polish Ambassador Bartosz Wisniewski at the minister's office in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

The Polish ambassador to South Korea on Friday voiced "great concerns" over North Korea's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of maintaining "direct" communication with Pyongyang.

Ambassador Bartosz Wisniewski made the remarks during a meeting with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young at the minister's office, as North Korea and Russia have been strengthening their alignment in military and other fields.

Since last year, North Korea has sent around 15,000 troops and weapons to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has emerged as a key hub for military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv and faces growing security threats from the conflict.

"Security between the Korean Peninsula, Central Europe and the so-called eastern flank has become intertwined. We are crystal clear that the DPRK's involvement in the brutal war and aggression against Ukraine is a source of great concerns to us," the Polish ambassador said.

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The ambassador emphasized the importance of maintaining direct communication with Pyongyang, which he said could help resume dialogue between South and North Korea.

"We believe that having a direct line of communication with the DPRK is of crucial importance ... because it helps us get a better understanding of the situation on the ground and down the road might pave the way for the resumption of some kind of dialogue between the South and North," he said.

Minister Chung said South Korea and Poland are both influenced by the security ramifications of North Korea's involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, and therefore share the importance of peace.

Against such a background, South Korea and Poland need to pursue cooperation and solidarity about peace, the minister noted.