South Korea’s spy agency believes as many as 12,000 troops are being sent to Russia to help it fight its war in Ukraine.
South Korea believes the North has sent troops to Russia to support its war in Ukraine.
The National Intelligence Service said Friday an initial contingent of 1,500 special forces soldiers has already been deployed to to Russia’s Vladivostok.
The spy agency said it had “detected from the 8th to the 13th, North Korea transported its special forces to Russia via a Russian Navy transport ship, confirming the start of North Korea’s military participation.”
Separately, Yonhap news agency reported that Seoul’s spy agency, “the North has recently decided to send four brigades of 12,000 soldiers, including special forces, to the war in Ukraine.”
‘Grave security threat’
On Friday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held an unscheduled security meeting with key intelligence, military, and national security officials.
Yoon’s office said the North has gone “beyond the transfer of military supplies to actual troop deployments.”
It poses “a significant security threat not only to our country but also to the international community.”
Russia had previously denied using North Korean troops in the war.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the claims as “another piece of fake news” during a news conference last week, according to Russian media.
“From our intelligence we’ve got information that North Korea sent tactical personnel and officers to Ukraine,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters at NATO headquarters on Thursday.
“They are preparing on their land 10,000 soldiers,” he added.
