South Korea’s intelligence agency reported on Friday that North Korea has dispatched troops to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine. The soldiers are currently undergoing training and are expected to be deployed to the frontlines soon.
According to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), 1,500 North Korean special operation forces were transferred by Russian navy ships to the port city of Vladivostok between October 8 and 13. The NIS added that more North Korean troops are expected to follow. The soldiers have been equipped with Russian military uniforms and weapons, and issued fake identification cards from Siberian regions such as Yakutia and Buryatia to conceal their true identities.
Satellite images and other intelligence collected by the NIS show Russian naval movements near a North Korean port and large gatherings in the Russian cities of Ussuriysk and Khabarovsk, suggesting the presence of North Korean forces. The report is the most detailed official account so far of North Korean involvement in the Ukraine conflict. If confirmed, it would mark North Korea’s first significant participation in a foreign war.
South Korean media, citing unnamed sources, suggested that North Korea could send up to 12,000 troops to Russia, organized into four brigades, though the NIS has not yet verified this claim.
These developments come a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that intelligence indicated 10,000 North Korean soldiers were preparing to join the war, warning that this could be a step towards a global conflict. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, called for a strong response from Kyiv’s allies, stating, “Russia seriously escalates its aggression by involving DPRK [North Korea] on a war party scale.”
The Kremlin has denied the claims, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissing them as “fake news.” Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance could not yet confirm the South Korean intelligence.
Reports have previously suggested that North Korean military engineers were already assisting Russia with missile operations. According to Ukrainian sources, North Koreans are believed to be supporting Russian forces with launcher systems for KN-23 missiles.
The partnership between North Korea and Russia has strengthened in recent years as both countries face growing international isolation. In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact that includes mutual defense provisions. North Korea has also supplied significant military hardware to Russia, including KN-23 missiles and over 2 million rounds of ammunition used on the battlefield this year.
In return, Pyongyang is reportedly seeking financial compensation and Russian assistance with its troubled spy satellite program.
