According to South Korea's main intelligence agency, in recent weeks, North Korea has sent hundreds of special forces fighters to eastern Russia for training, as Moscow relies on support from Pyongyang and other partners, including Iran, in the war in Ukraine, writes The Wall Street Journal
According to South Korea's National Intelligence Service, in October, Russian military ships delivered about 1500 North Korean special forces to Russia, moreover, Pyongyang plans to send up to 12,000 soldiers to Russia.
American officials told WSJ that some North Korean troops are undergoing training and equipment in Russia, however, this information requires clarification regarding the number of the contingent sent.
Russia is using an increasing number of Iranian and North Korean missiles, the involvement of foreign troops in the conflict is a new milestone in the history of "red lines," which unlike Washington, Moscow calmly and methodically crosses. According to a former Russian intelligence officer familiar with the details of Putin's visit to North Korea in June, initially, Pyongyang was ready to offer artillery shells in exchange for food and fuel. However, this was not enough for Moscow, as there is currently a shortage of manpower in the war in Ukraine, so a secret clause was included in the cooperation agreement, giving North Korea permission to send the first wave of approximately 1000 North Korean soldiers to Ukraine.
North Korean military personnel can perform a wide range of tasks — being missile technicians, frontline soldiers, or even workers providing logistics. In addition to promises of support and transfer of military technologies from Russia, Kim Jong Un's army will observe modern military tactics and how North Korean weapons operate on the battlefield.
According to analysts interviewed by the publication, the involvement of North Korea and Iran in the war also serves Vladimir Putin's strategic goals, allowing Moscow to shift tensions with the West to the Middle East and East Asia, where the US traditionally holds stronger positions.
South Korean officials expressed concern about the prospect of North Korean troops gaining combat experience. The South Korean government on Tuesday called the deployment a "significant security threat" and warned that it would take phased measures in response, possibly including providing lethal aid to Ukraine. So far, the country has refrained from this step due to fears of escalating the conflict, which has now occurred due to the actions of North Korea and Russia.
Photo: AP