South Korea says North Korea is continuing preparations for sending more troops to Russia, but Seoul has not seen evidence that another deployment is about to take place.
SOUTH KOREA: South Korea says North Korea is continuing preparations for sending more troops to Russia, but Seoul has not seen evidence that another deployment is about to take place. The assessment comes amid growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
The issue has gained attention because North Korea has already provided significant military support to Russia during its war against Ukraine. South Korean officials say Pyongyang has previously sent troops to Russia, while also supplying weapons and ammunition for the Russian war effort.
According to South Korean intelligence assessments cited by Reuters, North Korea has supplied Russia with more than 15 million rounds of artillery ammunition as well as short-range ballistic missiles. Some of the weapons may have benefited from battlefield experience and technical cooperation with Russia.
The possibility of another troop deployment follows earlier reports about North Korean soldiers being sent to Russia. North Korea's Kim Yo Jong recently rejected Ukrainian claims that Pyongyang was preparing to send as many as 50,000 additional troops, calling the allegation unfounded.
Despite that denial, South Korea continues to monitor preparations for a possible future deployment. The key point in the latest assessment is that preparations may be continuing, but there is currently no clear indication that North Korean troops are about to leave for Russia.
The military relationship between North Korea and Russia has strengthened considerably since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The two countries also signed a strategic partnership agreement that includes a mutual-defence commitment, giving their military cooperation a more formal framework.
South Korea is also watching North Korea's wider military development. Its officials say Pyongyang is progressing with new missiles and multiple-launch rocket systems, while some of its ballistic-missile capabilities are being further developed.
For now, Seoul's assessment suggests that a new North Korean troop deployment should not be treated as imminent. However, continued preparations indicate that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia remains an important security concern for South Korea and the wider region.