North Korea is preparing to send thousands more troops to Russia as early as July to assist in the war against Ukraine, according to information from South Korea’s intelligence agency shared by a lawmaker, Lee Seong-kweun, on Thursday.
Lee, a member of South Korea’s parliament who was briefed by the National Intelligence Service (NIS), told reporters that Pyongyang has already committed significant support to Russia’s military campaign and is expected to deepen that involvement in the coming weeks. This includes plans to dispatch an additional 6,000 troops for construction work in Russia’s western Kursk region.
“North Korea is continuing to send troops and supply weapons to Russia, and we see its support has played a significant role in Moscow’s efforts to retake Kursk,” Lee said.
He added that the North had already sent 11,000 personnel in October last year, followed by 4,000 more in a second wave, with the next deployment potentially set for July or August.
Lee noted a pattern in Russian Security Council head Sergei Shoigu’s visits to Pyongyang, which typically precede new deployments, and pointed to reports that North Korea is currently selecting personnel for the next mission.
The military alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang has strengthened considerably since the start of the Ukraine war. North Korea is believed to have provided Russia with several million artillery shells, as well as missiles and rocket systems, shipped via sea and military aircraft.
According to the NIS, approximately 600 North Korean troops have been killed in combat while fighting alongside Russian forces, with thousands more reportedly injured.
North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Ukraine and acknowledged combat deaths. State media in Pyongyang also reported that leader Kim Jong Un has pledged further cooperation with Russia, though details remain scarce.
The two countries signed a military pact last year during President Vladimir Putin’s rare visit to the reclusive state, which included a mutual defence agreement, cementing one of the most robust military relationships between Russia and any foreign nation during the ongoing conflict.
