No signs of additional deployment of NK troops to Russia detected: S. Korean military
Summary
No signs of additional North Korean troop deployment to Russia have been detected, a South Korean lawmaker said Sunday, citing the military. The Defense Intelligence Agency said North Korea is still preparing for a possible deployment, but no imminent movement has been identified. The assessment followed Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claim that Russia was preparing to bring in 30,000 more North Korean troops. The DIA estimated that North Korea has sent more than 16,000 troops to Russia since October 2024.
Key Facts
- Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the main opposition People Power Party cited a South Korean military report on Sunday.
- The Defense Intelligence Agency said no sign of an imminent deployment of additional North Korean troops has been identified.
- The DIA estimated that North Korea has deployed more than 16,000 troops to Russia since October 2024, with many believed killed or injured.
People watch news related to North Korea's firing of short-range ballistic missiles at Seoul Station, Thursday. Yonhap
No signs have been detected of any imminent dispatch of additional North Korean troops to Russia, a lawmaker said Sunday, citing a report from the South Korean military.
North Korea, however, is believed to continue making preparations for a possible deployment of additional troops to Russia, according to Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the main opposition People Power Party.
In a report submitted to the lawmaker, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) said, "North Korea continues to prepare for deployment, but no sign of an imminent deployment of additional troops has been identified."
The assessment comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed last month that Russia was preparing to bring in an additional 30,000 North Korean troops to a border region in the southwest to assist its war against Ukraine.
A military official confirmed that the North appeared to be internally preparing for the possibility of an additional deployment, but no movement pointing to actual preparations has been detected at the working level so far.
Last week, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, dismissed Zelenskyy's claim of North Korea preparing to send additional troops as "completely groundless."
The DIA estimated that the North has deployed more than 16,000 troops to Russia since October 2024, with many of them believed killed or injured. Pyongyang is also believed to have provided over 15 million rounds of artillery shells to Russia, according to the intelligence agency.
Explore More
- Q.
- Q.
- Q.