24-10-2024 (SEOUL) South Korean intelligence officials have revealed that North Korea has dispatched 3,000 soldiers to Russia to support Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine, with plans to send thousands more by year’s end.
According to parliamentary intelligence committee members briefed by the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Pyongyang has committed to providing approximately 10,000 troops in total, doubling previous estimates. The deployment is expected to be completed by December.
Committee member Park Sun-won disclosed that surveillance detected troop training activities within North Korea during September and October. “These forces have now been distributed across multiple Russian training facilities for acclimatisation,” Park stated.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking from Rome, confirmed evidence of North Korean military presence in Russia, suggesting this development might indicate significant manpower challenges within Russian forces. “This could reflect deeper problems in Putin’s military than previously understood,” Austin remarked.
The intelligence briefing revealed that North Korean authorities have taken extraordinary measures to suppress information about the deployment, including the forced relocation and isolation of soldiers’ families. Committee member Lee Seong-kweun noted that Russia has recruited numerous interpreters and is providing specialised training in modern warfare techniques, particularly drone operations.
“Russian military assessors praise the North Korean troops’ physical condition and morale but note their limited understanding of contemporary warfare methods,” Lee added, suggesting potential high casualty rates if deployed to frontline positions.
Despite both Moscow and Pyongyang dismissing these claims as “fake news” and “groundless rumors,” their strengthening military alliance was formalised through a mutual defence treaty signed during a summit in June.
The South Korean presidential office has demanded the immediate withdrawal of North Korean forces from Russia, threatening to consider providing lethal aid to Ukraine if military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang intensifies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has acknowledged these developments, calling for international response to North Korea’s involvement in the conflict. US intelligence estimates suggest Russia has already suffered over 600,000 casualties since the war’s inception in February 2022.
