Seoul: South Korea says it is closely monitoring reports of expanding military cooperation between North Korea and Russia after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Moscow is preparing to receive thousands of additional North Korean troops to support its war effort in Ukraine.
In a statement posted on X, Zelenskyy alleged that Russia is making arrangements to deploy another 30,000 North Korean soldiers. He claimed preparations have been underway since June in Russia’s Voronezh region, where facilities are reportedly being readied to accommodate the personnel. However, no supporting intelligence or publicly available evidence accompanied the claim.
Zelenskyy also alleged that North Korea could provide Russia with additional ballistic missile launch systems, although no further details were disclosed regarding the reported transfer.
Responding to the reports, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is closely tracking military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. While declining to comment on intelligence matters, the ministry reiterated Seoul’s longstanding position that any military collaboration violating United Nations Security Council resolutions should cease immediately.
South Korean officials also indicated that there is currently no confirmed evidence of a fresh deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.
According to estimates cited by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, North Korea has already sent around 20,000 military personnel, including combat troops and engineering units, to assist Russia. Of these, approximately 14,000 are believed to be serving in frontline combat roles.
Speculation over deeper military ties has intensified following North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui’s recent visit to Moscow, where she held meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Although no new military agreements were announced after the talks, the meetings have drawn renewed international attention to the growing partnership between the two countries.
North Korea first deployed military personnel to Russia in October 2024, several months after President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Pyongyang. Since then, Ukraine and several Western governments have maintained that North Korean troops have been deployed in support of Russian military operations, particularly in the Kursk region.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the reported expansion of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang remains under close international scrutiny. While the latest claims of additional troop deployments have yet to be independently verified, they have heightened diplomatic and security concerns over regional stability and compliance with international sanctions.
