Kim Yong-hyun, "The dispatch of observers to Ukraine is the military's natural duty."

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said it was "the military's natural task" to send an observation team or a money changer team to Ukraine.

At a press conference after the South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting held at the U.S. Department of Defense on the 30th local time, Minister Kim responded to the relevant question and stressed, "If you don't do that, it will be a dereliction of duty."

He also said, "We have sent observation teams and money shortage analysis teams throughout the war in Iraq and other wars," adding, "Especially in the case of the war in Ukraine, the North Korean military's combat trends can be analyzed well and used as useful information for our military in the future."

Minister Kim criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying, "I strongly urge you to immediately withdraw your dispatch of troops to Russia," adding, "Sending troops can be viewed as anti-human, anti-peace and war crimes."

"North Korea is likely to demand advanced military technology from Russia on the condition of sending troops," he said. "For example, it is likely to demand advanced military technologies such as tactical nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles, reconnaissance satellites, and nuclear submarines."

"At the same time, we may demand that North Korea replace its aging conventional weapons with new ones," he said. "These can increase security threats on the Korean Peninsula and increase instability."