North Korea has dispatched 1,500 soldiers to Russia for training, marking a significant development in the secretive state’s military engagement in Moscow’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS). This move is characterized as the first phase of North Korea’s involvement in the war.
The North Korean special forces were transported on seven Russian vessels earlier this month, as detailed in the NIS report released on Friday. Notably, these units had undergone inspections by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before their deployment. The report also indicated that large Russian transport planes have been regularly operating between Vladivostok and Pyongyang.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly warned of the expanding partnership between Russia and North Korea, suggesting that North Korean troops are preparing to join the fight. “From intelligence that I have… they are preparing 10,000 soldiers, different soldiers, land forces, technical personnel,” Zelensky stated at a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday. “We know about 10,000 soldiers of North Korea… preparing to start fighting against us. This is really an urgent matter; I spoke about it with the United States and all the leaders.”
In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Kim Jong Un in North Korea, the first such visit in over two decades, as the two nations seek to strengthen their ties amid ongoing international tensions.
Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister, accused North Korea of contributing to Russian aggression in Ukraine with both weapons and personnel, clarifying that these are not mercenaries. He emphasized that the situation demands urgent attention from the Euro-Atlantic community, asserting that “DPRK invades Europe alongside Russia.”
In a letter addressed to U.S. President Joe Biden, U.S. House Intelligence Committee chair Mike Turner labeled the reported troop movements as “alarming” and an “extreme escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.” He urged an immediate response from the U.S. and NATO allies, requesting a classified briefing from the White House regarding the developments.
Reports from South Korean media suggest that North Korea plans to send a total of 12,000 troops, although this figure was not included in the NIS statement. This intervention could signify North Korea’s first substantial involvement in an international conflict. Despite having one of the largest military forces globally, with 1.2 million soldiers, most North Korean troops lack combat experience.
The NIS stated that the deployed troops were sent to remote areas in Russia’s far east, near the North Korean border, and are anticipated to be dispatched to the front lines following their adaptation training. The soldiers received Russian military uniforms and equipment, as well as forged identification documents resembling those of Siberian residents to conceal their North Korean identity.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed claims of North Korean personnel assisting Russia as “another hoax.” Despite denials from both countries, multiple governments have accused Pyongyang of supplying arms to Russia for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The growing partnership between Russia and North Korea has intensified since the onset of the war, with both nations pledging mutual military support in case of attacks against each other during Putin’s visit in June. Kim Jong Un expressed his “full support and solidarity” with Russia’s military actions, specifically referencing Moscow’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and territorial stability amid the war in Ukraine.
