S. Korea and U.S. to Convene ‘2+2’ Talks Amid North Korean Troop Deployment to Russia

SEOUL: South Korea and the United States are set to engage in "two plus two" talks among their top foreign and defense officials this week in Washington, as tensions rise due to North Korea's reported deployment of troops to Russia. The announcement was made by Seoul's foreign ministry on Monday. According to Yonhap News Agency, the discussions will involve South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and their U.S. counterparts, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday and will address the Korean Peninsula situation, the bilateral alliance between the U.S. and South Korea, and various regional and global issues. The talks occur amidst reports confirming North Korea's dispatch of thousands of soldiers to eastern Russia, potentially for deployment in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The foreign ministry indicated that a joint statement would be released following the discussions between the two nations.