South Korea has believed that North Korea has deployed troops to Russia, a development that Seoul warns poses a serious threat to global security.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has reported that North Korea is sending 12,000 troops, including a special forces unit, to support Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed this development earlier in the week, stating that North Korea is effectively becoming a party to Russia’s invasion. “Russia is effectively planning to include North Korea in the full-scale war against Ukraine,” Zelensky said in a video address marking the 964th day of the invasion.
According to Ukrainian intelligence agencies, including the Foreign Intelligence Service and the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR), North Korea’s involvement in the war will be particularly crucial as Russia prepares for a prolonged campaign during the fall and winter seasons.
Official Seoul has expressed concern about the broader implications of this alliance, emphasizing that it could destabilize the region and heighten global tensions.