The U.S. has estimated that 10,000 North Korean soldiers are now stationed in Russia, a figure that has nearly tripled from previous reports. The Pentagon recently confirmed that some of these troops have moved close to Ukraine’s border, sparking concerns that Moscow may soon utilize them in combat in Ukraine’s contested Kursk region. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh emphasized, “A portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine, and we are increasingly concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has publicly condemned this deployment, deeming it an illegal military collaboration that endangers both regional and international stability. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte similarly called this North Korean military aid a “dangerous expansion of Russia’s war” and warned that such involvement would likely escalate tensions across the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. With fears growing over the potential scope of North Korean involvement, the international community remains watchful of any further deployment.
Growing Security Concerns in Asia and Beyond
While North Korea has refrained from explicitly acknowledging the deployment, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official remarked that any such movement would align with “international norms.” Yet, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and the U.S. Defense Department have raised alarms, noting that this collaboration represents an escalating security threat. President Yoon warned that his government must prepare for all contingencies given the unpredictability of North Korea’s involvement in the region.
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Adding to the unease, the agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang includes a mutual defense clause, according to Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister. This pact, signed in June, could theoretically oblige Russia to support North Korea should hostilities arise in the Korean peninsula, where over 25,000 U.S. troops remain stationed in South Korea. Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korean officials are set to convene in Washington, D.C., to discuss potential measures to counter this growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.
Ukraine Calls for More Support as Crisis Deepens
In Ukraine, officials remain vocal about their concerns regarding North Korea’s role. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused global allies of failing to act decisively against North Korea’s growing support for Russia, calling for the immediate lifting of restrictions on Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian territory. Ukrainian intelligence has claimed that six North Korean military officers were recently killed in Donetsk following a Ukrainian strike, further amplifying the calls from Kyiv for increased autonomy and military support.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted that North Korean troops in Russia could swell to as many as 12,000, and has petitioned Western allies for more resources to confront the widening front. The potential bolstering of Russian forces with North Korean soldiers would pose significant challenges for Ukrainian forces, who have been heavily reliant on U.S. and European armaments to resist Russia’s ongoing offensive.
International Response to North Korea’s Military Support
The U.S. has stressed that any North Korean participation in combat could transform Pyongyang into an active “co-belligerent” in the conflict, potentially allowing Ukraine to engage North Korean troops with U.S.-provided weaponry. However, the Pentagon has not yet indicated that it will lift current restrictions that prevent Ukraine from targeting within Russian territory directly.
Reports from South Korean intelligence suggest that North Korean soldiers were transported on Russian vessels, with nearly 1,500 soldiers landing in Russia earlier in October. Additionally, South Korean Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun emphasized the ongoing efforts to verify North Korean fatalities in eastern Ukraine, although evidence remains scarce. Russia, for its part, has repeatedly dismissed the reports as “fake news,” although neither President Vladimir Putin nor Russian officials have denied their presence entirely.
In light of these developments, North Korea’s involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian war has sparked new anxieties worldwide. With Moscow and Pyongyang now bound by a defense pact, the dynamics of both the European and Asian theaters face unprecedented challenges. As U.S. and South Korean officials meet to strategize their next steps, the world watches closely, aware of the far-reaching implications this alliance could have on global security.