North Korea Intensifies Military Support to Russia Amid Ukraine Conflict, South Korea Reports

North Korea intends to send more soldiers to Russia to aid in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as early as July, a South Korean legislator reported on Thursday, referencing information from the nation’s intelligence agency.

This announcement follows a statement from Sergei Shoigu, head of Russia’s Security Council, who mentioned during a recent trip to Pyongyang that North Korea would be sending military engineers and construction personnel to assist in the reconstruction of the Kursk region.

«North Korea continues to send troops and deliver weapons to Russia, and we can see that their support has significantly contributed to Moscow’s endeavors to reclaim Kursk,» said legislator Lee Seong-kweun, addressing reporters after an update from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).

«After dispatching 11,000 troops last October, Russia has now moved to announce a second wave of 4,000 soldiers, along with an additional 6,000 construction troops to aid in the restoration of Kursk,» Lee noted.

The NIS anticipates that the new troop deployment could begin as soon as July or August, citing previous instances such as Shoigu’s visit, which occurred about a month before the earlier troop mobilization, and recent information suggesting that North Korea has started selecting personnel for this purpose.

Lee indicated that North Korea is believed to have supplied Russia with millions of artillery shells, as well as missiles and long-range rocket systems conveyed by both ships and military aircraft since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

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

According to South Korean intelligence, approximately 600 North Korean soldiers have died, with thousands more injured while fighting on behalf of Russia.

In April, Pyongyang acknowledged for the first time that it had sent troops to support Russia’s campaign in Ukraine and confirmed that some of their soldiers had been killed in action.

North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un had reaffirmed plans for further collaboration but did not disclose specific details.