The National Intelligence Service (NIS) here said last Friday that North Korea decided to dispatch around 12,000 troops to support Russia and has already begun deploying its first batch of special forces troops to the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, where they are being prepared to join the frontline.
As of Monday, neither North Korea nor Russia has confirmed or denied the reports. The reclusive country has often maintained a policy of silence or denial regarding reports about its internal affairs and international activities.
The Ministry of National Defense here condemned on Monday that the North's troop deployment to Russia is a clear violation of the UN resolutions. "We sternly condemn North Korea's involvement in Russia's war of aggression and warn Pyongyang to stop immediately," said ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu during a press briefing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged a strong response from the international community the previous day regarding North Korea's involvement in the war, arguing that there is ample evidence that North Korea is sending not only equipment to Russia but also soldiers being prepared for deployment.
"If the world remains silent now and we have to engage soldiers from North Korea on the frontline in the same way we have to defend ourselves from (Iranian) Shahed drones, this will certainly benefit no one in the world and only prolong the war," he said. "Unfortunately, instability and threats can significantly increase after North Korea becomes trained for modern warfare," he added.
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he spoke with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over the phone on Monday. "North Korea sending troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine would mark a significant escalation," he wrote in a post on social media platform X.
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