Presidential Office "Calling North Korea to immediately withdraw its troops from Russia"...Consider providing offensive weapons to Ukra.

[Anchor]
Regarding North Korea's dispatch of troops to help Russia, the South Korean government urged the immediate withdrawal and warned that it would take corresponding step-by-step measures.

It said that depending on the situation, it could provide Ukraine with offensive weapons.

I'm connecting with the reporter.

Reporter Cho Yong-sung, what is our government's position on North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia?

[Reporter]
Presidential Office of National Security held an emergency National Security Council standing committee meeting presided over by Director Shin Won-sik this morning to discuss countermeasures.

I strongly condemned North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia as a security threat to South Korea as well as the international community and a violation of the U.N. Security Council.

Participants urged the immediate withdrawal of the North Korean military and decided to take countermeasures in line with the progress of Russia-North Korea military cooperation following the dispatch of combat troops.

Let's listen to the briefing of Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office.

[Kim Tae-hyo / 1st Deputy Director of the National Security Office: We will implement step-by-step countermeasures. In the process, we will work closely with allies and allies to implement strong and effective measures for Russia-North Korea military cooperation.]

A senior presidential office official also explained that the step-by-step measures were prepared for diplomatic, economic and military action.

Looking at the scenario of the possibility of weapons aid to Ukraine, he stressed that defensive weapons aid could be considered, or offensive weapons aid could be considered if the limit was exceeded.

The reason why the U.S. does not confirm North Korea's dispatch is that in order for the U.S. to announce its position, it will take some time, saying that future measures or measures must be prepared.

He added that the status of North Korea's dispatch of troops and cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which were disclosed by intelligence agencies, were the result of information shared with allies such as the United States and Ukraine, and that the U.S. government's position has nothing to do with intelligence objectivity.

The government said it will continue to push for the August 15 Unification Doctrine in order to guarantee the freedom and human rights of North Koreans and to create a peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula.

So far, I'm YTN Cho Yong-sung in the presidential office in Yongsan.