North Korea Dispatches 3,000 Troops to Russia Amid Rising Tensions
South Korea’s intelligence agency has reported that approximately 3,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia and are currently undergoing training on drones and other military equipment. This deployment marks a significant escalation in North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. The news was shared by National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong during a closed-door parliamentary committee briefing on Monday.
Additional Troops Expected in Russia by December
According to Cho, an additional 1,500 North Korean troops joined the initial 1,500 already in Russia, bringing the total number of soldiers to 3,000. The NIS estimates that North Korea plans to send a total of 10,000 troops to Russia by the end of the year. These soldiers are currently being trained at multiple military bases across Russia, but there is no evidence that they have been deployed on the battlefield yet.
Training and Equipment Preparation
The North Korean troops are receiving instruction on how to use various military equipment, including drones, under the supervision of Russian military instructors. According to South Korean lawmakers who attended the NIS briefing, Russian officials have praised the morale and physical strength of the North Korean soldiers. However, they have expressed concerns over the soldiers’ lack of experience with modern warfare, predicting that they may suffer heavy casualties once deployed.
Isolation of Families and Secretive Troop Movements
The NIS also reported signs that North Korea is relocating the families of soldiers chosen for deployment to isolated sites within the country. While North Korea has not officially disclosed the troop dispatch to the public, rumors are spreading among families whose loved ones have been assigned to the mission in Russia.
Increased Military Cooperation Between Russia and North Korea
This troop deployment is part of a growing military collaboration between Russia and North Korea. Recently, the NIS revealed that North Korea has sent over 13,000 containers filled with artillery, missiles, and other arms to Russia since August 2023 to support its war efforts. The increased cooperation follows a defense pact signed in June, where both nations pledged mutual military assistance if either is attacked.
International Reactions and Concerns
While the U.S. and NATO have not officially confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, they have expressed concern over the reports. Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, warned that if North Korea is aiding Russia in the Ukraine war, it would be a dangerous and highly concerning development.
South Korean officials are particularly alarmed by the potential consequences of this collaboration. They fear that Russia might reward North Korea by providing advanced military technology, which could significantly enhance the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities, directly threatening South Korea. In response to these developments, South Korea has stated that it would consider supplying weapons to Ukraine as a countermeasure to North Korea’s involvement.
As tensions continue to rise, this situation highlights the deepening ties between Russia and North Korea, both of whom are facing separate confrontations with the West, particularly the United States and its allies, over issues such as nuclear proliferation and human rights.