Tensions between North and South Korea escalate as Seoul protests North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia to support its war in Ukraine. Approximately 1,500 special forces are already in Russia, with expectations of up to 10,000 soldiers to follow. South Korean officials express grave concerns over this military cooperation, viewing it as a threat to regional security. In response, Russia downplays the alliance, claiming it poses no risk to third countries while seeking further military collaboration with Pyongyang.
Increasing tensions persist between North and South Korea. On October 21, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry announced that it had summoned the Russian ambassador to protest North Korea’s recent decision to send a significant number of troops to Russia as support for its operations in Ukraine.
According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), approximately 1,500 North Korean special forces are already in Russia, preparing for deployment to the front lines. NIS predicts that the total number of soldiers sent could reach around 10,000, bolstered by satellite imagery reportedly showing this first contingent’s arrival in Russia’s Far East between October 8 and 13.
NATO Expresses Concerns Over Troop Movements
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte voiced concerns on social media, stating, ‘The deployment of North Korean troops to assist Russia in Ukraine represents a significant escalation’. This sentiment was echoed by South Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun, who expressed ‘serious concerns regarding the recent North Korean troop deployments to Russia and called for their immediate withdrawal’.
During discussions with the Russian ambassador to South Korea, Georgi Zinoviev, the deputy minister warned that the provision of both troops and arms from North Korea to Russia posed ‘a grave threat not only to South Korea but also to the global community’. He emphasized that these actions breach various United Nations Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter.
In response, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian president, affirmed their commitment to ‘continue cooperating’ with North Korea, insisting that this partnership ‘should not cause alarm’ since ‘it is not aimed at third nations’.
The Role of North Korean Soldiers in Russia’s Military Efforts
As relations between Pyongyang and Seoul deteriorate further, Kim Jong-un’s regime appears to be fortifying its alliance with Russia, which reportedly faces personnel shortages in the ongoing conflict. Observers note that Vladimir Putin has turned increasingly to North Korea, a longstanding ally since the conclusion of World War II.
Experts suggest that in return for sending troops to aid Russian efforts in Ukraine, ‘Kim Jong-un seeks to enhance North Korea’s military capabilities, including access to advanced technologies, from surveillance satellites to submarines’, as stated by Cheong Seong-chang, director of strategy for the Korean Peninsula at the Sejong Institute. North Korean soldiers may soon see active combat in Ukraine, though their overall effect on the conflict remains uncertain.
Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare visit to Pyongyang last June, during which the two nations reportedly established a mutual defense agreement, raising eyebrows about potential future arms transfers that could contravene existing UN sanctions against both North Korea and Russia.