South Korea has officially summoned the Russian ambassador to express its strong condemnation regarding reports that thousands of North Korean troops have been dispatched to assist Russia in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun conveyed this message to the Russian envoy, Georgy Zinoviev, emphasizing that the involvement of North Korean forces violates United Nations resolutions and demanding their immediate withdrawal.
“We condemn North Korea’s illegal military collaboration, including the troop deployment to Russia, in the strongest terms,” Kim stated. He further highlighted that such actions present a serious threat to South Korea’s security as well as that of other nations. “We are prepared to work closely with the international community to mobilize all available resources against any actions that jeopardize our core security interests.”
This summoning of Ambassador Zinoviev reflects the growing frustration in South Korea, as well as among Ukraine and the US, in light of North Korea’s apparent military involvement. Reports suggest that a secret military agreement reached earlier this year between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un might be behind this deployment.
Last week, South Korea’s national intelligence agency reported that North Korea has already sent a contingent of 1,500 special forces personnel to training facilities in the Russian far east, with plans to deploy about 12,000 troops in support of Russia. The intelligence service also released satellite images purportedly showing the movement of elite North Korean soldiers by Russian military vessels to Vladivostok from October 8 to 13.
“North Korea transported its special forces to Russia using a Russian navy transport ship, confirming the initiation of its military involvement,” the agency stated.
While the White House has not confirmed these reports, a National Security Council spokesperson mentioned that if the information is accurate, it would represent a serious escalation in Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials released a video on Monday that allegedly shows groups of North Korean recruits awaiting Russian military uniforms. Ihor Solovey, head of the Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security—part of Ukraine’s culture and information ministry—indicated that this video serves as significant evidence of North Korea’s participation.
“The footage clearly depicts North Korean citizens receiving Russian uniforms under Russian military supervision,” Solovey noted, stressing that this marks the first visual proof of North Korean personnel actively involved in the conflict, alongside weapons and munitions.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to inquiries about North Korean troops during a press briefing, stating, “There are many contradictory reports. South Korean sources relay one narrative, while the Pentagon claims it has no confirmation of these statements. It’s important to recognize the contradicting information.”
Details of the agreement between Putin and Kim, made during the Russian leader’s visit to Pyongyang in June, have not been disclosed, although both countries have denied that North Korea is supplying Russia with ammunition and missiles—a claim that has been challenged by officials in Ukraine, South Korea, and the US. South Korean intelligence revealed on Friday that North Korea had sent over 13,000 containers of various lethal munitions to Russia since August.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concerns that the involvement of North Korean troops would “significantly increase” regional threats and instability. In a recent address, he highlighted that evidence of North Korean military participation indicates another nation’s entry into the war and called for a strong response from Ukraine’s allies.
“I appreciate the leaders and state representatives who do not turn a blind eye to this cooperation and openly discuss it in the context of the larger conflict,” he remarked. “We expect a straightforward and robust reaction from our partners regarding this situation.”
As of now, North Korea has not issued any comments regarding the alleged dispatch of troops to aid Russia.
