North Korea deploys additional troops to Russia: Seoul

North Korea has sent more troops to Russia and deployed some of them to the front in the Kursk region, partially occupied by Ukraine, South Korea's spy agency said Thursday.

Seoul and Western intelligence services have said that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia to take part in the offensive against Ukraine in the Kursk region.

But earlier this month, South Korea's spy agency said there had been no record of North Korean soldiers on the front lines since mid-January.

The North Korean military, after a month-long hiatus, has redeployed to the Kursk front (...) and it appears that some additional troop deployments have taken place," an official from the agency said on Thursday.

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"The exact scale (of the deployment) is still being assessed," he added.

Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have confirmed the deployment, but they have signed a mutual defence treaty that came into force shortly before reports of North Korean troops on the front appeared.

North Korean soldiers in Russia

North Korea has stepped up its support for Russia in the war against Ukraine by sending troops and military supplies. According to intelligence reports from the United States, South Korea and Ukraine, in October 2024, Pyongyang deployed between 10,000 and 12,000 troops on Russian territory, mainly in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine.

This deployment is part of the strengthening of bilateral ties between Russia and North Korea. In June 2024, during a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang, a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty" was signed, which includes a clause on mutual defense in the event of aggression.

The involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict has raised international concerns. Security experts have warned of the risks of such collaboration, saying North Korean troops are gaining experience in modern combat and could pose a threat to regional and global stability.

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In addition, North Korea is reportedly preparing to send more troops and weapons to support Russia, including heavy artillery and kamikaze drones. Despite high North Korean casualties in Ukraine, estimated at around 1,100, an increase in troop deployment is expected.

North Korea's military support for Russia underlines the deepening of their strategic relationship and raises questions about the implications for international security and the dynamics of the conflict in Ukraine.

With information from AFP.

ORP