What did Volodymyr Zelenskyy say about North Korea sending more troops to Russia?

Zelenskyy said North Korea appears set to deploy an additional 30,000 to 50,000 troops to Russia. He made the remarks in a post on X, quoting an interview with the United News telethon.

Why did Zelenskyy say North Korea would benefit from deploying troops to Russia?

He said North Korea would gain experience in modern warfare under Russia and would continue building that experience. He also said Pyongyang would receive licenses from Russia and acquire various military tools.

What kind of cooperation did Zelenskyy want from South Korea?

He said Ukraine wants closer cooperation with South Korea, especially support for air defense systems, drones and other areas. He added that South Korea has a legal restriction under its Constitution, but said diplomats are in contact.

Up to 50,000 N. Koreans to be deployed in Russia: Zelenskyy

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Summary

North Korea appears set to deploy an additional 30,000 to 50,000 troops to Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday. He said Pyongyang would gain modern warfare experience and urged closer South Korea-Ukraine cooperation, including on air defense systems and drones. Zelenskyy also said diplomats are in contact.

Key Facts

Zelenskyy said he first heard estimates of North Korean deployment in hundreds, then thousands, before saying a decision had been made for 30,000 to 50,000 troops.
He said North Korea would gain experience in modern warfare under Russia and continue to build that experience through military tools and licenses from Russia.
Zelenskyy said South Korea should have closer cooperation with Ukraine and that Kyiv seeks Seoul’s support for air defense systems, drones and other areas.
He said South Korea has a legal restriction under its Constitution, but that Ukraine still wants the cooperation and that diplomats are in contact.
The article says North Korea is believed to have already sent around 20,000 combat troops and military engineers to Russia’s Kursk region after Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defense pact in June 2024.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 9, 2026 9:37 pm KST

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a press conference with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic at the Serbia Palace, in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday. AP-Yonhap

North Korea appears set to deploy an additional 30,000 to 50,000 troops to support Russia in its war with Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday.

Zelenskyy made the remarks in a post on X, quoting comments he made in an interview with the United News telethon.

"North Koreans appear on the territory of the Russian Federation from time to time ... At first, we were talking about hundreds, then thousands, and now a decision has been made for 30,000 to 50,000 North Koreans to be deployed on the territory of Russia," Zelenskyy said.

North Korea will certainly gain experience in modern warfare under Russia, the Ukrainian president also said, adding that Pyongyang will continue to build its experience in modern warfare, receive licenses from Russia and acquire various military tools.

Zelenskyy, in particular, said South Korea should have closer cooperation with Ukraine under such circumstances, adding that Ukraine seeks Seoul's support for air defense systems, drones and other areas.

"They have a legal restriction under their Constitution. But we would like to have this cooperation and are counting on it. Our diplomats are in contact," he said.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a mutual defense pact in June 2024, Pyongyang is believed to have sent around 20,000 combat troops and military engineers to the Kursk region to support Moscow in its war with Ukraine.

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