Seoul: North Korea has not yet commented on its recent deployment of troops to Russia, a move that underscores the deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. This development comes as South Korea’s intelligence agency disclosed that approximately 12,000 North Korean special forces have been sent to aid Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, with 1,500 already stationed in Russia’s Far East.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this deployment marks the first instance of North Korea sending such a significant number of ground troops abroad, although it has previously sent smaller groups of soldiers overseas to generate income. The North Korean government has maintained silence regarding this deployment, with no official statements released to date.
The last report from North Korea on the Ukraine conflict was on October 12, when Rodong Sinmun, a major North Korean newspaper, featured comments from a Russian military commander alleging the use of chemical weapons by Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia has
also not responded to the recent revelations about North Korean troop movements.
Experts believe North Korea might find it difficult to deny the troop deployment due to existing evidence, and may be reluctant to confirm the movement publicly due to potential domestic unrest. “It is unlikely that North Korea will confirm this before Russia does,” stated Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification. He added that without confirmation from the United States or NATO, it remains uncertain if North Korean forces will actively participate in combat.
The South Korean government has expressed concerns over the situation and is monitoring developments closely. “We are keeping all possibilities open and are carefully observing the situation,” said Koo Byoung-sam, a spokesperson for the unification ministry. The defense ministry has strongly condemned North Korea’s involvement in the conflict, asserting that it violates U.N. Security Council resolutions and should be internationall
y criticized.
“We sternly denounce North Korea’s behavior and strongly warn (the North) to immediately halt it,” Jeon Ha-kyou, the spokesperson for the ministry, stated during a press briefing, adding that the ministry will consider “necessary measures,” which could potentially include the provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine.
In a related move, South Korea’s military has intensified its propaganda broadcasts along the border, incorporating foreign media reports about North Korea’s troop deployment. These broadcasts, which started in July in response to North Korea’s trash balloon campaign, also reported on the recent deaths of six North Korean soldiers in a missile attack, citing Ukrainian media.