North Korea Deploys Troops to Support Russia's War in Ukraine, Reports South Korean Intelligence

 

North Korea has sent troops to assist Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine, according to South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS). The agency confirmed on Friday that Russian naval vessels transported 1,500 North Korean special operations forces to the Russian port city of Vladivostok between October 8 and October 13. The NIS also indicated that more North Korean soldiers are anticipated to be dispatched to Russia in the near future, raising concerns about further escalation in the conflict.

The NIS reported that the North Korean troops are being equipped with Russian military uniforms, weaponry, and forged identification documents. Currently stationed at military bases in Vladivostok, as well as in Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk, these soldiers are expected to be deployed to combat zones following their training.

The agency shared satellite images and other photos showing Russian navy activities near a North Korean port, along with indications of mass gatherings of North Korean personnel in Ussuriysk and Khabarovsk over the past week. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte noted during a press conference that he could not yet confirm the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.

Reports from South Korean media, citing the NIS, claimed that North Korea has plans to send a total of 12,000 soldiers in four brigades to Russia, although this information has not been independently confirmed by the NIS. In response to these developments, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol convened an emergency security meeting, emphasizing the serious security threat posed by the deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia.

The president's office released a statement expressing concern that this collaboration, which extends beyond mere military supply transfers, endangers not only South Korea but also the global community.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian media reported the deaths of six North Korean soldiers in a missile strike on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk on October 3. However, Russia has denied that North Korean troops are involved in the conflict, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissing these claims as “fake news” during a press briefing last week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that his government has intelligence suggesting that 10,000 North Korean soldiers are being prepared to join Russian forces, warning that the involvement of a third country could escalate the conflict into a global war.

The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War has also reported that several thousand North Korean soldiers have arrived in Russia and are being readied for deployment in Ukraine. The relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow has strengthened since the end of World War II, becoming increasingly close following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin formalized their military cooperation in a pact that includes mutual assistance if either nation is attacked, marking a significant defense agreement between the two countries since the Cold War.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated in recent months, fueled by North Korean weapons tests and large-scale military exercises conducted by South Korea, supported by the United States.