South Korea and NATO on Wednesday urged North Korea and Russia to halt their military cooperation.
The demand came after Seoul claimed at least 300 North Korean soldiers died while fighting Ukraine on behalf of Russia.
South Korea's Deputy Defense Minister Cho Chang-rae hosted NATO's assistant Secretary General Boris Ruge in Seoul for talks where the duo expressed their concern over "illegal military cooperation" between Moscow and Pyongyang, according to Yonhap News.
The reports of troop deployment from North Korea to Russia assumed significance since Pyongyang and Moscow signed a comprehensive defense pact last year, requiring either party to extend military help to each other in case of aggression from a third party.
Kyiv has claimed custody of two North Korean soldiers who were captured from the battlefield.
