South Korea’s intelligence agency has reported that North Korea has begun deploying troops to assist Russia in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, raising alarms about a significant security threat in the region. This revelation follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s assertion that he believes as many as 10,000 North Korean soldiers could potentially join the battle, based on intelligence gathered.
In response to this escalating situation, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol convened a security meeting on Friday, emphasizing the need for a coordinated international response. He stated that the global community must utilize “all available means” to address the situation effectively.
According to the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS), approximately 1,500 North Korean troops have already been dispatched to Russia, with some sources suggesting the total number could rise to 12,000. This development coincides with growing evidence that North Korea is supplying Russia with military ammunition, evidenced by the recovery of a missile in Ukraine’s Poltava region.
The burgeoning partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang has become increasingly apparent in recent months. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un extended birthday wishes to Russian President Vladimir Putin, referring to him as his “closest comrade.” This sentiment underscores the deepening ties between the two nations amid the ongoing conflict.
The security meeting held by President Yoon included key officials from South Korea’s National Security Office, Ministry of National Defence, and National Intelligence Service. The participants collectively decided to address the situation head-on and to engage the international community in a united front.
The NIS’s assertion aligns with recent reports from Ukrainian military intelligence, which indicated that Russia’s army is forming a unit comprised of North Korean soldiers. Earlier this week, Putin introduced a bill aimed at ratifying a military pact with Kim Jong Un, pledging mutual support in the event of aggression against either country.
The intelligence agency also revealed that North Korean troops are currently undergoing training at Russian military bases in Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Vlagoveshensk. This information was corroborated by a military source in Russia’s Far East, who reported that North Korean personnel have indeed arrived and are stationed at one of the military bases near Ussuriysk.
To substantiate its findings, the NIS released aerial photographs showing large gatherings of North Korean troops at the Ussuriysk and Khabarovsk bases, as well as images from North Korea’s Chongjin port, where a Russian ship was reportedly seen transporting North Korean soldiers.
Since August, North Korea is said to have dispatched approximately 13,000 shipping containers filled with shells, missiles, and anti-armour rockets to Russia, amounting to as many as eight million 122-mm and 152-mm shells.
However, some military analysts caution that integrating North Korean troops into Russian military operations may pose challenges. The language barrier and lack of recent combat experience in the North Korean army could hinder their effectiveness on the front lines. “They could guard some sections of the Russian-Ukrainian border, which would free Russian units for fighting elsewhere,” suggested Valeriy Ryabykh, editor of the Ukrainian publication Defence Express. “I would rule out the possibility that these units will immediately appear on the front line.”
