▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (in leather jacket) waves toward soldiers during a visit to a special operations unit's training base in western Pyongyang on Oct. 2, 2024, a day after South Korea's Armed Forces Day, in this file photo provided by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(3rd LD) N Korea-Ukraine war

(3rd LD) N. Korea decides to send around 10,000 soldiers to support Russia in Ukraine war: Seoul

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SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's spy agency on Friday confirmed that North Korea has decided to send around 10,000 troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine and has already begun deployment.

The National Intelligence Service's (NIS) confirmation came after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol convened an emergency security meeting amid mounting speculation that the North may be providing its soldiers to fight Russia's war in Ukraine.

Following the meeting, the NIS said it has confirmed the "beginning of the North's direct involvement" in the Ukraine war, after having learned that troops from the North were moved aboard Russian Navy transport ships.

The NIS also said it has confirmed that Pyongyang began transporting its special forces troops to Russia from Oct. 8 to 13.

According to the NIS, approximately 1,500 North Korean soldiers were transported during the first phase, using four amphibious landing ships and three escort vessels owned by Russia.

These troops were moved from areas near the North's cities of Chongjin, Hamhung and Musudan to Vladivostok. The NIS said it expects that a second phase of transport will occur soon.

A Seoul intelligence source said North Korea is expected to deploy a total of 12,000 troops, including those from the country's most elite military units, to the war in Ukraine.

North Korean troops deployed to Russia have been stationed across various locations in the Far East, including Vladivostok, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk and Blagoveshchensk, where they are currently integrated with Russian military units.

According to the Seoul spy agency, they have been issued Russian military uniforms and weapons.

Additionally, fake identifications disguising them as locals were also provided, apparently to conceal their participation, by making them appear as part of the Russian forces.

Once they complete their adaptation training, they are expected to be sent to the front lines, according to NIS officials.

Seoul's presidential office said South Korea has been closely tracking North Korea's troop movement to Russia from the beginning in coordination with its allies, and will continue to monitor the situation and take all necessary measures proactively.

The North's deployment signals a major development in the military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang besides their suspected arms trade, already criticized by the international community.

Moscow and Pyongyang have recently forged closer ties, with President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signing a new partnership treaty that includes a mutual defense clause during their summit in Pyongyang in June.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited Ukrainian intelligence reports indicating that North Korean personnel have already been deployed in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, with an additional 10,000 troops being prepared to join the fight.

Zelenskyy suggested that Russia is relying on North Korean forces to compensate for its substantial troop losses, as many young Russians seek to avoid conscription.

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