The South Korean agency Yonhap reported that Seoul is considering deploying a team of military personnel from intelligence units to Ukraine due to reports of North Korea's involvement in Russia's large-scale invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that North Korea is sending weapons and soldiers to Ukraine to support the Russian Army. In response, the South Korean government may provide armed support to Ukraine if the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia is confirmed.
Since Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, exports of military materials from South Korea have increased significantly. According to South Korean intelligence, about 11,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia and could be "ready to fight" in Ukraine by November 1. North Korea has reportedly sent 1,500 soldiers to Russia for training, described as the first step in participating in Moscow's war against Ukraine.
The South Korean Foreign Minister summoned the Russian ambassador in response to reports of the deployment of North Korean military personnel in Russia. For its part, the Russian Embassy in South Korea stated that any cooperation between Russia and North Korea "is not directed against Seoul's security interests." The Kremlin has also assured that cooperation should not concern other states, and that the information regarding the alleged presence of North Korean troops in Russia may be "contradictory."
Experts point out that the Kremlin's attempts to reassure South Korea about its cooperation with North Korea suggest Moscow's concern over a possible shift in Seoul toward providing military support to Ukraine. So far, Seoul has primarily provided humanitarian aid to Kyiv, but there have been reports that South Korea has sent artillery shells to Ukraine through the United States.
South Korea is one of the world's leading arms exporters, with a key deal with Poland worth over 20 billion euros in 2022. The deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia is underway, with the first group of 2,600 soldiers scheduled to be sent to the Kursk region, where Ukraine controls significant territories. Ukrainian forces continue to advance in the region as fighting persists.
