SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed Monday that North Korea has sent troops to Russia. South Korea’s spy chief also informed lawmakers that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia, receiving training on drones and military equipment before being deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Austin said, “What exactly they are doing? That’s still to be seen. These are things we need to sort out,” in comments captured by the Washington Post. He warned that if North Korean troops were deployed in Ukraine on Russia's side, it would be a "very, very serious issue" with implications not only for Europe but also for the Indo-Pacific region.
South Korean intelligence initially reported last week that 1,500 North Korean special forces were taken to Russia by the Russian navy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also claimed his government had intelligence suggesting up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers were being prepared to reinforce Russian troops in Ukraine.
Though neither the U.S. nor NATO had officially confirmed North Korea's troop movements before Austin’s statement, they had expressed concern over the potential consequences. Both North Korea and Russia have denied such reports.
In a closed-door meeting, South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong informed lawmakers that another 1,500 North Korean troops recently arrived in Russia. According to lawmaker Park Sunwon, the NIS believes North Korea plans to send a total of 10,000 troops by December. The soldiers are reportedly undergoing training at several Russian military bases, though they have yet to be deployed in battle.
Lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun noted that Russian military instructors have praised the morale and physical resilience of the North Korean troops. However, they remain concerned about the soldiers' lack of experience with modern warfare, which could lead to heavy casualties. Russia has also reportedly been recruiting interpreters to assist with the integration of the North Korean soldiers.
The NIS revealed that North Korea is quietly relocating the families of soldiers sent to Russia, isolating them in special areas. While the regime has not officially disclosed the troop dispatch to its citizens, rumors are circulating, especially among families of those deployed.
According to Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate, North Korean troops are expected to arrive in Russia’s Kursk region to support Russian forces countering Ukrainian offensives.
As ties between North Korea and Russia have strengthened in recent years, both countries signed a defense pact in June, committing to mutual military support if either is attacked. North Korea has also reportedly sent over 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles, and conventional weapons to Russia since August to aid its war effort.
The news has heightened security concerns in South Korea, where officials fear that Russia could reward North Korea with advanced weapons technology that might boost Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs. In response, South Korea has hinted it may reconsider its stance on supplying arms to Ukraine, which until now has been limited to humanitarian and financial aid.
Despite North Korea's large standing army of 1.2 million troops, experts are skeptical about the effectiveness of North Korean forces in aiding Russia, given their lack of combat experience since the Korean War. Many believe North Korea is seeking Russian economic support and military modernization in exchange for its assistance.
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