North Korean troops reportedly bolster Russian ranks in Ukraine
Advanced North Korean military units may have already been deployed to the front in Ukraine, where Russia is conducting an aggressive war, according to South Korean lawmakers citing a report from the national intelligence services.
At a meeting of the parliamentary intelligence committee, the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) of the Ministry of Defence presented a report on the possible involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict in Ukraine.
Lawmakers Lee Seong Kweun from the ruling People Power Party and Park Sun Won from the main opposition Democratic Party revealed the main findings of the report.
According to the DIA, although there is no precise information yet confirming foreign media reports about the presence of North Korean forces on the front, "There is a possibility that some advance units have been sent to the front lines," the parliamentarians conveyed.
The agency does not have data confirming casualties among these soldiers, but it was assessed that "we anticipate considerable damage" if operations are carried out using drones, as they are not trained in this regard.
Seoul intends to send a team of experts to Ukraine to monitor and analyse the movements of North Korean forces through Russia, Reuters reported, citing a South Korean government representative. The goal is to gain a more precise understanding of the situation and confirm any presence of troops from Pyongyang on the Ukrainian front.
North Korean soldiers in Ukraine. They will be integrated into the Russian army
The DIA report also indicates that North Korean soldiers will not form their own units but will be integrated into the ranks of the Russian army.
One of the deputies, quoted by Yonhap News Agency, said that conducting independent combat operations would be difficult for them due to language barriers and a lack of terrain familiarity. Hence, mixed formations will be more effective.
The report also assessed that Pyongyang will seek to obtain from Russia not only advanced military technologies related to space but also support in modernising conventional weapons.
