North Korea has reportedly started sending troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine, sparking a “grave security threat” warning from South Korea.
According to South Korea’s spy agency, 1,500 North Korean troops have already arrived in Russia, with estimates suggesting the final number could reach 12,000.
Recall that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concerns that up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers might join the conflict.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for a united international response, stating that the situation demands action “with all available means.”
A recent security meeting attended by key officials from South Korea’s National Security Office, Ministry of National Defence, and National Intelligence Service concluded that the situation cannot be ignored and requires a joint response.
The alleged collaboration between North Korea and Russia is not new.
The two nations have been strengthening their ties, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday as his “closest comrade.”
Putin has also introduced a bill to ratify a military pact with Kim, pledging mutual assistance in case of aggression.
Reports indicate that North Korean troops are training in Russian bases in Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, and Vlagoveshensk.
Aerial photographs released by South Korea’s spy agency show hundreds of North Korean troops gathered in Ussuriysk and Khabarovsk, as well as a Russian ship carrying North Korean soldiers at Chongjin port.
North Korea has also been supplying Russia with ammunition, including 13,000 shipping containers carrying shells, missiles, and anti-armour rockets since August.
Valeriy Ryabykh, editor of Defence Express, suggests that North Korean troops might be deployed to guard sections of the Russian-Ukrainian border, freeing Russian units for other battles.
“I would rule out the possibility that these units will immediately appear on the front line,” Ryabykh noted.
