South Korea has called in the Russian ambassador to express its strong protest over reports of thousands of North Korean troops being sent to assist Russia in its conflict with Ukraine.

Axar.az reports that, citing the Guardian, Kim Hong-kyun, the first vice foreign minister, conveyed to the Russian envoy, Georgy Zinoviev, that the involvement of North Korean troops in the war violates UN resolutions and demanded their immediate withdrawal, according to a statement from South Korea’s foreign ministry on Monday.

“We strongly condemn North Korea’s illegal military collaboration, including the deployment of troops to Russia,” Kim stated, noting that this action represents a significant threat to the security of South Korea and other nations. “We will work together with the international community to mobilize all available resources against actions that jeopardize our fundamental security interests.”- he stated.

Mr Zinoviev said he would relay the concerns, but stressed that the cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is "within the framework of international law".