North Korean Troop Deployment in Russia Sparks Strong Reaction from South Korea
South Korea has demanded the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops allegedly deployed in Russia to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine, summoning the Russian ambassador to protest the deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
In a meeting with Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev on Monday, Vice South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun “condemned in the strongest terms” the deployment of North Korean troops, which he said poses “a grave security threat” to South Korea and the international community. Kim emphasized that South Korea, in collaboration with the international community, will mobilize all available means to deal with an act that threatens its vital national security interests.
The demands come after South Korea’s spy agency confirmed on Friday that North Korea had sent 1,500 special operation forces to Russia this month. The agency said the troops, part of the elite “Storm Corps,” were likely to be deployed to the front lines after acclimatizing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has gone further, claiming that his government has intelligence indicating that up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers are being prepared to join Russian forces.
South Korea’s spy agency released detailed satellite images showing what it said was the first batch of 1,500 North Korean special forces arriving in Vladivostok on Russian military vessels. The agency added that additional forces are set to depart soon, marking Pyongyang’s first such deployment overseas.
The deployment of North Korean troops has sparked concerns in South Korea that Russia might provide North Korea with sophisticated technologies that can enhance the North’s nuclear and missile programs in return for its troop dispatch. North Korea’s advancing nuclear arsenal is already a major security threat to South Korea, and the possibility of technology transfers has heightened tensions further.
During a telephone call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said that Seoul won’t sit idly by as the “reckless” military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow continues. Yoon emphasized that South Korea will take action to respond to North Korea’s recent dispatch of combat troops to fight in Ukraine, and he urged the alliance to explore “concrete countermeasures.”
Rutte, in a post on X, said that he had spoken with Yoon to share concerns regarding North Korean troops being sent to Russia. He added that North Korea possibly fighting alongside Russia would “mark a significant escalation” in the conflict.
The United States and NATO haven’t confirmed that North Korean troops were sent to Russia, but the reports of their presence have already stoked concerns. The U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Robert Wood, said that if true, it marks “a dangerous and highly concerning development” and noted that the U.S. was “consulting with our allies and partners on such a dramatic move.”
Russia has denied using North Korean troops in its war with Ukraine, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling the footage of North Korean soldiers “fake news.” Peskov added that the cooperation between Russia and North Korea is “not directed against third countries” and that it is “in line with international law.”
The deployment of North Korean troops would be Pyongyang’s first participation in a major war since the end of the Korean War in 1953. Many experts question how much North Korean troops would help Russia on the battlefield, citing their lack of combat experience and outdated equipment.
Cooperation between North Korea and Russia has flourished over the past two years. In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty committing both countries to provide military assistance to each other if either is attacked. The treaty has seen an increase in military cooperation, with the U.S., South Korea, and their partners accusing North Korea of supplying conventional arms to Russia in return for economic and military assistance.
South Korea has joined U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, South Korea hasn’t directly provided arms to Kyiv, citing its longstanding policy of not supplying weapons to countries actively engaged in conflicts. Some observers say South Korea will likely consider supplying weapons to Ukraine if Russian transfers of high-tech nuclear and missile technologies to North Korea are verified.
The deployment of North Korean troops in Russia has also raised concerns among South Korea’s allies. British Foreign Minister David Lammy, who was in Seoul on Monday, called Russia’s actions “reckless and illegal” and added that London would work with Seoul to respond.