NK troops possibly deployed to front lines in Russia-Ukraine war: military intel

North Korea's national flag waves in front of its embassy building in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday. North Korean state news agency KCNA and Russian officials confirmed on Oct. 30 that North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui was traveling to Moscow after arriving in Vladivostok the previous day. Choe's visit comes after NATO joined Seoul, Washington and Kyiv in confirming Pyongyang's deployment of troops to Russia's Kursk region on the border with Ukraine. EPA-Yonhap

By Anna J. Park

• Published Oct 30, 2024 4:31 PM KST
• Updated Oct 31, 2024 8:10 AM KST

The intelligence agencies of South Korea and the U.S. believe that some North Korean advance units may have been deployed to the front lines in the Russia-Ukraine war. Media reports even suggest that these units are already in Ukrainian territory, with some soldiers having been killed during battles.

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) reported the information to lawmakers during an audit, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Rep. Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.

"There is no accurate intelligence that North Korean soldiers are at the front lines. But there is a possibility that some advance units may have been deployed to the front lines," DIA officials were quoted as saying by the lawmakers.

These remarks followed a CNN report earlier in the day, which cited "two Western intelligence officials" saying that a small number of North Korean soldiers are already in Ukraine, with the expectation that their numbers will increase.

The agency then said the troop's deployment to the front lines appears to be imminent.

Another report by LRT, citing a Lithuania-based NGO, claimed that North Korean soldiers clashed with Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region on Oct. 25, resulting in some North Korean casualties. However, the DIA said it has no information to support this report.

President Yoon Suk Yeol also said Wednesday that North Korean troops dispatched to Russia are expected to be sent to battlefields in Ukraine sooner than expected.

Yoon shared this assessment during a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier that day.

The South Korean president emphasized the seriousness of the situation, calling on both South Korea and Canada to maintain strong, unified responses in cooperation with the international community.

Yoon said a South Korean delegation is joining the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula taking place in Canada on Wednesday and Thursday (local time), aimed at supporting Ukraine's reconstruction efforts.

The U.S. officially confirmed that a small number of North Korean troops are already in Russia's western front-line Kursk region.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a press briefing, Tuesday (local time), that the North Korean soldiers will serve in some type of infantry role. This remark came a day after the U.S. stated that the North has sent around 10,000 troops to train in eastern Russia to support Russian forces near Ukraine over the next few months.

"Indications (are) that there's already a small number (of North Korean troops) that are actually in the Kursk Oblast, with a couple thousand more that are either almost there or due to arrive imminently," Ryder said.

Clandestine troop deployment

A senior official at the presidential office also confirmed Wednesday afternoon that North Korea has already deployed at least 11,000 troops, with over 3,000 positioned near conflict zones in western Russia, citing South Korean intelligence agencies and their allied counterparts.

However, the official added that the North's troop deployment is occurring not as a North Korean military force but as a "disguised" military contingent, with soldiers wearing Russian uniforms and using Russian weapon systems.

"North Korea is making considerable efforts to prevent public unrest inside the country. Military officers are prohibited from using mobile phones, and the families of deployed soldiers are being told that their loved ones are simply away for training," the senior presidential official explained.

Against this backdrop, Ukraine is expected to begin discussions this week about sending a special envoy to South Korea to address North Korea's troop deployment to Russia.

"It may take a day or two for Ukraine to designate a special envoy and prepare a plan to come to Seoul for discussions," the official added.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with the South Korean leader, noting that Kyiv will actively share information and improve communication with Seoul, while announcing plans to send a special envoy to South Korea soon.

Regarding potential military aid to Ukraine, the presidential official said, “Even if discussions on military support were to arise, it would be reasonable to prioritize defensive weaponry,” and clarified that “no discussions have started at this time.”

In response to reports that South Korea is considering providing 155mm artillery shells at Ukraine’s request, the official firmly dismissed these claims as inaccurate, emphasizing, “Ukraine has not requested artillery support from us,” and underscoring that assertions of South Korea contemplating the direct provision of such ammunition to Ukraine are false.

Meanwhile, the senior official at the presidential office as well as the DIA said North Korea is in a position to conduct another nuclear test at any time, as the country appears to have completed preparations at its Punggye-ri testing site.

"A nuclear test requires relatively little preparation time, meaning it can be carried out at any moment. While an ICBM launch does require some preparation time, it can also be expedited and executed quickly," the senior presidential official said.

The DIA analyzed that the launch may take place around the U.S. presidential election slated for Nov. 5 (local time).