South Korea and the European Union issued a joint condemnation on Monday regarding North Korea‘s provision of weaponry to Moscow, calling for the withdrawal of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

This statement came during the inaugural “Strategic Dialogue” meeting held in Seoul, shortly after concerns were raised by Washington and Seoul about North Korea’s military assistance to Russia.

In their joint declaration, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul denounced North Korea’s “illegal arms transfers to the Russian Federation for use in its aggression against Ukraine.”

They called for an immediate cessation of this “illegal military cooperation” and the withdrawal of North Korean forces. Borrell also engaged with South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine poses an existential threat,” Borrell remarked in a post on X, accompanied by a photo of his handshake with Kim. “The Republic of Korea is uniquely positioned to comprehend this threat. We stand united in our support for Ukraine and I urged them to enhance their efforts.”

The two nations have established a security and defense partnership that encompasses 15 areas, including cyber security and disarmament. In response to a question last week about the possibility of Seoul supplying weapons to Ukraine due to North Korea’s support for Russia, Cho indicated that all potential scenarios are being evaluated.

While South Korea has supplied non-lethal assistance to Ukraine, such as mine clearance equipment, it has declined requests for weaponry.

Seoul anticipates that North Korea will receive military and civilian technology from Moscow as it strives to launch a spy satellite and enhance its missile capabilities. Recently, North Korea demonstrated its military strength by testing a large new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile known as Hwasong-19. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned last week that Washington expects North Korean troops stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, which has been partially occupied by Ukraine, to soon engage in combat against Ukrainian forces.

During discussions in Moscow on Friday, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui expressed her nation’s support for Russia until it secures victory in Ukraine.