SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's spy agency said Wednesday that there is a sign that North Korean troops deployed to Russia for the war with Ukraine have been learning drone operations and tactics from Moscow.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the assessment amid concerns that Russia may have provided drone-related technology to North Korea in return for Pyongyang's troop dispatch designed to support Moscow's war efforts.
"As there is a sign that North Korean troops dispatched to Russia have been learning drone operations and tactics from Moscow, we are monitoring possible drone cooperation between the two sides," the NIS said.
On top of the supply of ammunition and conventional weapon, North Korea has sent around 11,000 troops to fight alongside Moscow in Russia's Kursk region since October. The NIS said last week North Korea appears to have deployed additional troops to Russia.
North Korea has been focusing on developing unmanned aerial vehicles, including multi-purpose attack drones, with its leader Kim Jong-un ordering the prompt full-scale mass production of suicide attack drone last November.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) inspects a performance test of suicide attack drones produced by an affiliated institute of the Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex and businesses, on Nov. 14, 2024, in this file photo provided by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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