North Koreas Surge of Military Support to Russia: A New Wave of Troops Expected Soon

According to a South Korean lawmaker on Thursday, North Korea is set to dispatch additional troops to Russia as early as July to aid in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, citing information from the nation’s intelligence agency.

This statement follows a week after Sergei Shoigu, the head of Russia’s Security Council, announced during his visit to Pyongyang that North Korea would be sending military engineers and construction forces to assist in the reconstruction of the Kursk region.

«North Korea is persisting in its troop deployments and arms supply to Russia, with its assistance playing a crucial role in Moscow’s attempts to regain control of Kursk,» lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun informed reporters following a briefing from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Lee further noted, «After initially sending 11,000 troops last October, Russia has already indicated plans to deploy an additional 4,000 soldiers, along with another 6,000 construction personnel to aid in rebuilding efforts in Kursk.»

The NIS anticipates that this new troop deployment could occur as soon as July or August, pointing to precedents such as Shoigu’s visit occurring about a month before the last troop mobilization, and reports suggesting North Korea has started selecting individuals for this mission.

Lee indicated that North Korea is believed to have supplied Russia with several million artillery shells as well as missiles and long-range rocket systems, transported via both maritime and aerial military methods since the onset of the Ukraine invasion.

Last year, Russia and North Korea formalized a military cooperation agreement that includes a mutual defense clause during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the nuclear-capable state.

According to South Korean intelligence, about 600 North Korean soldiers have died and many more have been injured while supporting Russia in combat.

In April, North Korea publicly acknowledged for the first time that it had sent troops to assist Russia’s military operations in Ukraine and admitted that some of their soldiers had been killed in action.

State media in North Korea reported that leader Kim Jong Un has confirmed intentions for further collaboration, although specific details were not disclosed.