Published: 27 Mar. 2025, 09:43
A wounded soldier, suspected to be North Korean and captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's western Kursk region, is seen in this file photo posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's X account on Jan. 11. [YONHAP]
A wounded soldier, suspected to be North Korean and captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's western Kursk region, is seen in this file photo posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's X account on Jan. 11. [YONHAP]
North Korea appears to have additionally dispatched at least 3,000 soldiers to Russia in January and February in support of Moscow's war against Ukraine, South Korea's military said Thursday.
The assessment came amid concerns that North Korea and Russia's deepening military alignment could lead to Moscow transferring advanced arms technologies to Pyongyang in return for the troop deployment.
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"Of the some 11,000 North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia, 4,000 casualties have occurred, and it appears that some 3,000 or more have been additionally dispatched this year," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
In addition to the troop deployment, the JCS said the North continues to supply missiles, ammunition and artillery equipment to Russia, including "a considerable amount of short-range ballistic missiles and around 220 pieces of 170 millimeter self-propelled howitzers and 240 mm rocket launchers."
The South's military said the North appears to be making technological upgrades to launch another military spy satellite, although there are no imminent signs of such a launch.
The JCS said it is closely monitoring North Korea's possible provocations, including launches of a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, a hypersonic missile and a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
Yonhap